National Australia Bank (NAB) will fund <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera</a>, a $1 billion, 52-level luxury residential tower being developed by Central Equity in one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held coastal locations at Northcliffe.

The project, launched recently by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a>, one of Victoria’s largest private residential developers, comes at a time when construction funding for large residential developments has become increasingly competitive as lenders tighten exposure to the sector.

Multiplex has been appointed the builder, and construction is now underway.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365784]

Since its first project, Central Equity has delivered more than 85 residential developments with a combined end value exceeding $8 billion.

Palmera reflects Central Equity’s growing focus on the Gold Coast luxury apartment market and continues a relationship between Central Equity and NAB that dates back to the late 1980s, when the bank funded one of Melbourne’s earliest inner-city residential towers at a time when high-rise apartment living in the CBD was largely unproven.

“NAB’s funding of Central Equity’s $36 million CBD development in the late 1980’s to the financing of the billion-dollar tower today highlights the long-term relationship between the two organisations in delivering major residential projects” said Central Equity Founder and Chairman Eddie Kutner.

He said NAB’s early support was instrumental in helping establish the company’s development model.

“When we commenced our first residential tower in the late 1980s the concept of funding off-the-plan apartments was still largely untested in Australia,” Kutner said.

“NAB recognised the opportunity early and supported the project when others were uncertain. That relationship has now continued for more than 37 years across many developments.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Central Equity was established in 1987 when Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank precinct were still dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings. Fewer than 100 residents lived in Southbank at the time, and large-scale residential development in the inner city was not widely considered.

Recognising changing demographics and lifestyle preferences, the company began developing high-rise residential projects designed to bring permanent residents into the city centre.

Central Equity has provided accommodation for approximately 40,000 residents across Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank, while also incorporating supporting infrastructure including essential lifestyle facilities like retail spaces, childcare facilities and neighbourhood activity centres.

Central Equity has spent many years assembling the Palmera development site on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Frederick Street in Northcliffe, creating a supersite of around 3,300 sqm.

The developer said the Palmera apartment tower reflects its long-term view of the Gold Coast as a growing and increasingly diversified economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365768]

Supported by infrastructure including the light rail network, major road upgrades expanded education, hospital and medical facilities and continued expansion at the Gold Coast Airport with more internation and domestic flights.

Positioned in the tightly held Northcliffe precinct, the 52-level tower will deliver 347 apartments, targeting buyers seeking a high-end coastal lifestyle, from downsizers to interstate investors.

Designed by Marchese Partners with interiors by DBI, Palmera has been conceived as a next-generation residential offering, featuring a collection of oversized apartments, with premium three-bedroom residences offering sweeping northern views stretching from Surfers Paradise through to Burleigh Heads.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

Joel Robinson

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-5" data-turn="user" data-turn-id="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" data-turn-id-container="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" dir="auto">Time &amp; Place’s plans to transform the former David Jones factory building in Surry Hills into a mixed-use residential precinct have gone on exhibition through the NSW Government’s In-fill Affordable Housing pathway.</section>

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" dir="auto">
The Marlborough House proposal, lodged for the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marlborough-house-47-97-marlborough-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">47-97 Marlborough Street</a> site, would see the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed warehouse building alongside the construction of new residential additions and a separate apartment building on the northern portion of the site.

The proposal seeks approval for 172 apartments across three buildings, including 15 per cent affordable housing managed by a community housing provider for at least 15 years from occupation.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5d1d3c2a-bf13-47d6-a335-7c01102cdee1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cjMYrbR.BLUlWH4dar0RVDDo0bG.u2YT" />

Interior view from the Northern Building Penthouse overlooking the park

&nbsp;

The redevelopment is planned for the prominent 3,413 sqm site bounded by Marlborough Street, Goodlet Street and Lansdowne Street, directly opposite Eddie Ward Park and around 200 metres from the Surry Hills light rail stop.

Time &amp; Place acquired the former David Jones building in 2024, marking the first time the property had changed hands in around 50 years.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal centres around the adaptive reuse of the former David Jones factory, originally constructed between 1913 and 1935 in the Inter-War Chicagoesque architectural style.

Wardle noted in its Architectural Design Report that the building “occupies a significant place in the industrial and cultural history of Surry Hills” and at its peak was “the largest department store manufacturing facility in Australia, employing over 800 people and fuelling the growth of Sydney’s fashion and retail industries.”

The practice said the project positions itself “not as an isolated intervention, but as a contributor to the civic, social, and architectural grain of the precinct.”

The proposal would deliver 75 apartments within the retained southern heritage building, 59 apartments within the central addition, and a further 38 apartments within the new northern building fronting Lansdowne Street.

Planning documents show the scheme would comprise a mix of heritage apartments, new-build apartments, townhouses and penthouses.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57758518-40a3-4b83-958c-d06e96a2cffa" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.42%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=VerlX9ST5xgBi8.1_YRsqdWTJeT6ygjs" />Interior View of the Heritage Building Apartment

The development would also include a ground-floor retail tenancy on the corner of Marlborough and Lansdowne streets, rooftop communal open space, a landscaped pedestrian link along the western edge of the site, and basement parking accessed from Lansdowne Street via a car stacker system.

&nbsp;

The scheme emerged from a competitive design process run by Urbis, with Wardle ultimately selected as the winning architect ahead of FJC Studio, TZG, Architectus and Wilkinson Eyre.

The Design Integrity Panel later described several aspects of the Wardle scheme as fundamental to the project, including “the stepped character of the new addition to the north of the site”, the landscaped western pedestrian link, and the “garden arrival” experience separating the original Marlborough House from the heritage addition.

Wardle’s design heavily references the site’s industrial and heritage history, while also responding to the surrounding Surry Hills streetscape.

The Architectural Design Report describes Surry Hills as “a finely grained neighbourhood with beautiful and expressive brickworks throughout the suburb,” with the proposal introducing a material palette intended to sit comfortably alongside the existing warehouse fabric and neighbouring terraces.

The report also outlines the project’s relationship with Eddie Ward Park and the broader landscape context of the area.

“Marlborough House occupies a site of deep cultural memory and the neighbouring Eddie Ward Park is of local ecological significance, where natural systems, topography, and stories have long shaped human experience,” Wardle noted in the report.

The architects said the proposal sought to “rebind built form to Country” through landscape, materiality and the adaptive reuse of the heritage structure.

<img alt="Marlborough House" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9ae3f2f9-c85f-477a-a6f8-b43f6cb97c41" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.53%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=B.qUCLqRvJOR.n9CvYcTpaknIX9LuqKZ" />

The project is also being progressed under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions, allowing developments that include affordable housing to access additional height and floor space incentives.

Under the plans, 2,593 sqm of the project’s floor space would be dedicated to affordable housing, slightly exceeding the required 15 per cent threshold.

In its Design Excellence Strategy, Urbis said the project aimed to “sensitively adapt and enhance the heritage-listed building on site through alterations and additions that preserve its historical significance” while delivering “high-quality market and infill affordable housing development in Surry Hills.”

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-melbourne-vic-3205">South Melbourne</a>, and have future projects, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-wilmot-173-burke-road-28-hope-street-glen-iris-vic-3146">The Wilmot</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>, the redevelopment of the Northcote Plaza, and another tower in South Melbourne.

The developer broke into Sydney just a few years ago with Two Tides in Manly. They have another project nearby, which is at the ultra-luxury end of the market on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach.

It is also continuing to work through the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-time-place-settles-on-design-for-the-chimes-potts-point-redevelopment">redevelopment of The Chimes building</a> on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as a project on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Mosman's Redan Street</a>.
</section>

First look: Time & Place unveils Marlborough House redevelopment designs for former David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

Investment

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GUEST OBSERVER
Moves by regulators and banks to curb the growth in investment lending in response to spiralling Sydney and Melbourne property prices could cool the investment market nationwide.
The decision by lenders to raise interest rates on investor loans and other changes to tighten up investment lending was penalising investors.
Changes aimed at trying to simmer the property hot spots of Sydney and Melbourne would needlessly harm investors in other parts of Australia
Not only have there been interest rate rises for investors but also changes to loan servicing calculations and Loan to Value Ratio (LVR) requirements, with the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) encouraging the crackdown.
Our economy is in a two speed cycle with the big property price increases focussed on Sydney and Melbourne.
Regulators and lenders need to be careful with how they deal with this as they risk hindering the market in others parts of the country where real estate is not booming.
The lending landscape is changing with a mixed bag of LVR requirements which are now causing a great deal of uncertainty in the market.
Investors in places such as Brisbane and Perth are being unfairly targeted over the property boom in Sydney and Melbourne.
 
Kent Leicester is managing director of Cigna Wealth and can be contacted <a href="https://www.cignawealth.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Investor lending changes could backfire: Cigna Wealth's Kent Leicester 

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Four out of the top five most clicked homes for sale on realestateview.com.au for the last week are located in Victoria, with only one entrant from NSW.
The listing that gathered the most interest online was a stylish three bedroom home belonging to Nick and Chris from the first season of House Rules.
The property, <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/25-barry-street-kew/Property-Details-buy-residential-9273376" target="_blank">19 Jackman Street, Preston, Victoria,</a> is the only house on the street with dual car access and is being sold through hockingstuart Preston auction on Saturday, August 29.
<img src="/images/2015/08/21/19-Jackman-Street-Preston-VIC-3072-Real-Estate-photo-1-large-9273376.jpg" alt="" width="401" height="267">
 
A four bedroom three bathroom Doncaster house listed with $1.2 million hopes was the second most clicked property.
The <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/25-barry-street-kew/Property-Details-buy-residential-9204246" target="_blank">77 Church Road, Doncaster, Victoria</a> home faces north, is ripe for development and is for sale through Fletchers.
 
<img src="/images/2015/08/21/77-Church-Road-Doncaster-VIC-3108-Real-Estate-photo-1-large-9204246.jpg" alt="" width="410" height="273">
  
A sold five-bedroom home with three living areas, a pool next to the outdoor room and deck complete with custom fit out is the third most popular listing.
The <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/25-barry-street-kew/Property-Details-buy-residential-9218950" target="_blank">44 Cummins Road, Brighton East</a> home sold for $1,850,000 through Marshall White Brighton.
 
<img src="/images/2015/08/21/44-Cummins-Road-Brighton-East-VIC-3187-Real-Estate-photo-8-large-9218950.jpg" alt="" width="447" height="298">
 
The only home to feature on the list in New South Wales is a brand new property located at <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/25-barry-street-kew/Property-Details-buy-residential-9156442" target="_blank">10 Lauren Close, Gol Gol</a>, for sale at $490,000. 
The four bedder with a massive family room and study nook features 9ft ceilings and spotted gum timber floors throughout.
It is for sale through Roccisano Real Estate.
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<img src="/images/2015/08/21/10-Lauren-Close-Gol-Gol-NSW-2738-Real-Estate-photo-1-large-9156442.jpg" alt="" width="483" height="321">
 
The final home on realestateview's top five most clicked houses for the last week is <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/25-barry-street-kew/Property-Details-buy-residential-8547722" target="_blank">Lot 210 No 3 Vibrandia Way, Truganina, Victoria</a>, available through Wyndham Lakes Real Estate.
Homes in the estate are available from $305,000 to $335,000.
<div>
<h2><img src="/images/2015/08/21/Lot-210-No-3-Vibrandia-Way-Truganina-VIC-3029-Real-Estate-photo-1-large-8547722.jpg" alt="" width="546" height="410"> </h2>
</div>
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House Rules home dominates most clicked house listings: Realestateview.com.au

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Marketed as Australia's most affordable Woolworths, Burgess Rawson have secure the sale of the George Town, Tasmania premises for $4.95 million at recent auction.
The 8 Bathurst Street, George Town tenants come with an established lease with 20 + 10 year lease through to 2042. 
The rent is $336,682 pa.
The 1978 square metre Woolworths at <a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/3P1087#.Va8OqSqqqko" target="_blank">8 Bathurst Street, George Town</a> has been described as a "consistent and progressively performing investment" with a captive trade catchment. 
The single tenant offering has minimum management investment with income tax saving depreciation. 
George Town is described as a residential and service centre for major industry including Bell Bay Aluminium generating a 1,500 workforce. 
George Town is a large town in north-east Tasmania, on the eastern bank of the mouth of the Tamar River. 
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George Town Woolworths sells at $4.95 million

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A fully leased retail investment property in Richmond is set to go under the hammer with expectations of around $1.5 million.
The 160 square metre, Commercial 1 zoned site at 142 Bridge Road is currently a restaurant with function area on the first floor.
Teska Carson’s Tom Maule said the property will be sold subject to a three year lease to Chuck Taylor’s Pty Ltd, trading as Mister Jennings, at a current income of $72,100 per annum from June 2014 with two further terms of four years and 3% annual rental reviews with a market review at the option. 
The property will be auctioned on Friday, August 21 at 1 pm on site.
 
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Richmond Hill restaurant has $1.5 million hopes

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House rents have increased 0.7% of the past year, with rental for units increasing 1.6% for the combined city capitals according to new figures from CoreLogic RP Data.
CoreLogic RP Data's July Rental Index also found rental rates for houses down 0.5% and units up 0.2% over the three month period ending July.
According to the report, the rental growth rate slowed due to new housing supply and 'historically high levels of housing investment'.
<a href="/images/2015/08/10/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-10%20at%209.54.16%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/10/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-10%20at%209.54.16%20PM.png" alt="">
Property investors are warned growth in rent could possibly slow more in the next few months given the activity in residential construction and high investment demand.
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House rents up 0.7%, units greater: CoreLogic RP Data

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House price growth in the Albany Urban Area in West Australia grew 5.3% over the year, with the new median house price at $389,750, according to new figures from the REIWA.
Albany was named best performing regional centre for property over FY14/FY15, with 456 house sales, 42 unit sales and 200 land sales over the last year.
The Busselton Urban Area was second with a 3.4% growth over the financial year, with the local suburb Abbey recording a median house price of $625,000, up 15.7% over the year. 
REIWA’s Branch Chairman for Albany, Barry Panizza, said the lift in median price over the last year really only brings us back to where we were five years ago, because the market has been weak for that long. 
"However, it’s encouraging to think that we might now be returning to a better position of forward growth and it gives buyers and sellers a bit more confidence," Mr Panizza said.
“Turnover, however, was down 10 per cent on last year which could be attributed to fewer properties on the market and this also helped with price growth.
“I also think there may have been some renewed interest in Albany following the hugely attended ANZAC commemorations over the last 12 months. Thousands of people from all over Australia got to see and experience Albany last October and again in April this year, and it wouldn’t surprise me if that resulted in a few people relocating here or acquiring an investment holiday home for the future,” he said.  
Bayonet Head prices are up 8.8% with a median of $397,000, Mount Melville up 5% to $380,000 and Spencer Park, up 4.9% to $350,000. 
Karratha dropped 32.3% to a median price of $440,000.
 
 Regional Centre results – Year to June 2015 
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
REGION
</td>
<td valign="middle">
NUMBER OF HOUSE SALES
</td>
<td valign="middle">
PERCENTAGE GROWTH ONE YEAR  
</td>
<td valign="middle">
MEDIAN PRICE 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Albany Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="middle">
456
</td>
<td valign="middle">
5.3%
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$389,750
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Broome Urban Area 
</td>
<td valign="middle">
125
</td>
<td valign="middle">
- 6.5%
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$575,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Greater Bunbury 
</td>
<td valign="middle">
1,097
</td>
<td valign="middle">
1.3%
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$385,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Busselton Urban Area 
</td>
<td valign="middle">
464
</td>
<td valign="middle">
3.4%
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$460,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Carnarvon Urban Area
</td>
<td valign="middle">
36
</td>
<td valign="middle">
0.4%
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$333,750
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Esperance Urban Area 
</td>
<td valign="middle">
125
</td>
<td valign="middle">
10.7% *
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$387,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Geraldton/Greenough
</td>
<td valign="middle">
412
</td>
<td valign="middle">
-2.6
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$370,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Kalgoorlie/Boulder
</td>
<td valign="middle">
364
</td>
<td valign="middle">
1.5%
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$345,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Karratha Urban Area 
</td>
<td valign="middle">
145
</td>
<td valign="middle">
-32.3
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$440,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Mandurah/Murray
</td>
<td valign="middle">
1,885
</td>
<td valign="middle">
0.7%
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$405,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Northam
</td>
<td valign="middle">
124
</td>
<td valign="middle">
-3%
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$263,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
Port Hedland 
</td>
<td valign="middle">
97
</td>
<td valign="middle">
-6.3%
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$750,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
REGIONAL WA 
</td>
<td valign="middle">
7,484
</td>
<td valign="middle">
0.8%
</td>
<td valign="middle">
$383,000
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
*The varied composition of sales and small sample sizes skewed the result in Esperance so the figure of 10.7% growth in median price should be treated with caution. 
 
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Western Australia's top ranked suburbs for house price growth: REIWA

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The majority of potential property investors remain undeterred by APRA's recent changes in investment policy, according to new research by Mortgage Choice. 
54% of respondents to Mortgage Choice's 2015 Investor Survey plan to continue with their investment plans regardless of changes to investment lending policies.
Mortgage Choice chief executive office John Flavell said 70% of respondents believed now was still a good time to invest.
“While on average 54% of investors said the changes wouldn’t affect their investment plans, the story was a little different for Gen Y buyers,” Mr Flavell said.
“Baby boomers by comparison, were far less likely to be put off by the changes, with just 30% saying any changes would affect their property investment plans.
“Our data shows an increasing number of investors are actually Gen Y’s who are purchasing property for the first time. For many younger buyers, purchasing an investment property before an owner occupied property gives them the opportunity to purchase where they can afford while still living where they want."
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Investment changes fail to deter property investors: Mortgage Choice

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The financial services group AMP has appointed Adam Tindall to succeed Stephen Dunne as managing director of its AMP Capital division.
Adam Tindall will assume the role following Stephen Dunne’s upcoming retirement.
Adam Tindall is currently AMP Capital’s chief investment officer, property. 
He will start in his new role in October 2015 after a period of transition alongside Stephen Dunne.
AMP Capital is a specialist investment manager that manages over $160 billion across a range of asset classes including equities, fixed interest, property and infrastructure.  
Adam has 28 years of experience in the property industry, joining AMP Capital Property in 2009 from Macquarie Capital.
Prior to this, Adam spent 17 years with Lend Lease, ultimately working in various business leadership roles including chief executive officer, Asia Pacific for Bovis Lendlease.
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AMP Capital appoints Adam Tindall as MD

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A developer has paid $3.22 million for a double-fronted street level Ashburton property with the intention of seeking approval to build a multi-level residential block.
The site, 237-239 High Street Ashburton property is on a 460 square metre site, has two levels split between 194 square metres in total and features ground floor retail space with 12 metre frontage onto High Street. It was sold subject to a short term tenancy at $74,807 per annum.
Around 100 onlookers attended the Teska Carson auction.
It last sold in 1995 at $570,000 when sold by Westpac.
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Developer pays $3.22 million for Ashburton property

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GUEST OBSERVER
Not since 1998 have banks charged a higher rate for investment property loan as compared to owner-occupiers. You may have seen the news that ANZ have decided to slug heaps of their mortgage clients. Independent of any RBA movement, they are increasing the standard variable rate by 0.27% for investment home loans.
Unfortunately, CBA today announced the same thing. The interest rate for existing variable investment CBA home loans will rise by 0.27% from August 10th. 
The stance of iChoice is that these tactics are opportunistic, and ANZ &amp; CBA clients should think again. 
The APRA directive is for investment lending growth to be limited by 10%. So the unpublished interest rate discounts offered to us high-end brokers will be stronger for those taking a loan against their home. We have accepted this, in fact since some banks are much more flexible than others (some not discounting at all) the importance of a knowledgeable broker is becoming more apparent.
So why are ANZ &amp; CBA slugging EXISTING clients, if the APRA directive related only to growth? These questions should be asked. The beauty of some banks is that their home loans, whether for a home or an investment, is actually the same product, so they wont have the ability to pinpoint the investors to discriminately slug them. maybe check your statement and see if the name of your product includes the word ’investment’.
So will this intervention in market forces negatively affect the run of the property market? Will cashed-up foreigners be laughing as local investors get further priced out? What we do know immediately, is that CBA clients with an Investment Home Loan will be fuming as they watch the news tonight, like ANZ customers were last night!
iChoice will be emailing our client base with facilities at ANZ and CBA this weekend with our recommendation for next steps.
Off-the plan buyers know that some banks lend against the valuation at completion (not the LOWER of purchase price and valuation like the nasty banks). I say this because I have heard of many people getting slugged with thousands of dollars of LMI because they just don’t know (do they know that us mortgage advisors are free??). 
Also, Westpac for a limited time are lending 85% with no LMI, for purchases OR refinances but applications must be in by the end of August.
As usual, Citibank have an 85% no-LMI as their standard, and great fixed rates too.
As an acclaimed Flame broker, I can often lend 90% with no LMI to doctors, pharmacists, dentists, vets, accountants, barristers and solicitors.
Jason Khoury is principal, iChoice Mortgage Brokers and can be contacted <a href="mailto:jason=ichoice.com.au@mercurymail.connective.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>. 
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