Enfield may be home to fewer than 3,000 residents, but its prime location between Strathfield and Burwood has cemented its status as one of the Inner West’s hidden gems.

The suburb offers a village-style lifestyle with an abundance of cafés, restaurants, and boutique shops, staples of Inner West living.

At the last census, there were only around 300 apartments in the suburb. Fewer than a handful of new apartment developments have been delivered in recent years, but none are as well positioned as The Carlyle, just a three-minute walk to Henley Park, arguably one of the best parks in the area.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-carlyle-enfield-164-liverpool-rd-enfield-nsw-2136">The Carlyle</a> will comprise 32 one- and two-bedroom apartments, a mix rarely seen in the new development market across Sydney.

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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/ray-white-projects-western-sydney">Ray White Projects WS</a>&nbsp;is fielding enquiry from several buyer types.

"First home buyers are realising this is the best time to get into the market," says Mark Bernberg, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/ray-white-projects-western-sydney">Ray White Projects WS</a>&nbsp;Managing Director.

"There are now several government incentives assisting first home buyers to get onto the property ladder. The recent announcement to waive lender's mortgage insurance for those with low deposits puts tens of thousands back in their pockets. Pair that with stamp duty savings in the new apartment space, and there has never been a better time to be a first home buyer in the off the plan apartment market."

Bernberg has also seen a re-emergence of investors, attracted to the low supply of apartments in Enfield and the suburb's lifestyle, while also being on the fringe of Burwood, which is set to undergo a huge transformation with its recent rezoning around the new metro station.

"That will bring a wealth of new retail and amenity to the area, which tends to drive prices higher," Bernberg says.

"Rents are at record highs, and with interest rates coming down from the highs earlier this year, investment apartments are starting to stack up again financially."

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The Carlyle apartments will sit above doorstep amenity, with a two-level retail podium incorporated into the striking building. The retail component will include a new ground-floor café facing Carlyle Street.

Two-bedroom apartments range from 67 sqm to 83 sqm internally, with some of the larger residences on the top level featuring expansive wraparound balconies. These layouts are designed to enhance seamless indoor-outdoor living, maximising natural light and views.

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The Carlyle's proximity to Henley Park is one of its biggest drawcards. The 13-hectare park includes multiple sports fields, two fenced playgrounds designed for various age groups, and Enfield Aquatic Centre, complete with Olympic-sized swimming pool.

The Carlyle is on track to welcome residents in early 2026.

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Joel Robinson

The Carlyle in Enfield launches to undersupplied Inner West market

A new Metro stop, a thriving café scene, and proximity to village-style retail have cemented St Leonards as one of the Lower North Shore’s most sought-after suburbs for new development.

Among those seizing the opportunity is Sekisui House Australia, which has chosen this prized pocket, in the St Leonards South precinct, for its first-ever inner-city apartment project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/waterstone-st-leonards-24-berry-road-st-leonards-nsw-2065">Waterstone</a>.

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Set for completion in the summer of 2027, Waterstone comprises 207 apartments across five buildings, designed to look south back to the&nbsp;Sydney&nbsp;CBD.&nbsp;The new project offers residents the rare balance of connected urban living and tranquil green surrounds.

Just moments from home lies Smoothey Park, a blend of natural bushland and manicured parkland. It forms part of the Wollstonecraft cluster of reserves, including Gore Cove, Badangi Reserve, and Berry Island, all offering peaceful escapes on the Harbour’s edge.

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When it comes to lifestyle, St Leonards and its neighbouring suburbs, Crows Nest, Waverton, Greenwich, and Wollstonecraft, deliver an endless array of cafés, restaurants, and boutique retailers. Nearby Mall 88, only 650 metres from Waterstone, adds convenience with over 30 specialty stores.

Connectivity is another major drawcard. The new Crows Nest Metro Station is just one kilometre away, while St Leonards Train Station is a short seven-minute walk. For a more scenic commute, the Greenwich Point Wharf ferry reaches Circular Quay in under 30 minutes.

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For peace of mind, Royal North Shore Hospital, one of Sydney’s most prominent medical hubs, sits just 650 metres away, making Waterstone ideal for healthcare professionals or residents seeking easy access to world-class medical facilities.

Perfectly positioned on the fringe of vibrant activity yet embraced by parkland serenity, Waterstone offers the best of both worlds in Sydney’s evolving Lower North Shore.

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Urban Editorial

Nature and connection define life at Waterstone in emerging St Leonards South precinct

A new collection of residences is now available at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/sol-by-walker-maroochydore-first-avenue-maroochydore-qld-4558">SOL by Walker</a>, the residential development that continues to take shape within the Maroochydore City Centre.

The second release introduces 137 apartments to the market, adding to the growing community in what is set to become one of South East Queensland’s most significant urban renewal precincts. The new offering includes a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside a limited number of terraces and penthouses designed to suit a range of lifestyle needs.

“SOL represents the beginning of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/maroochydore-qld-4558">Maroochydore</a>’s exciting next chapter, redefining expectations around life in this beautiful coastal city,” David Gallant, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/walker-corporation">Walker Corporation</a>, said.

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Located on South Sea Islander Way, SOL forms part of the broader vision to deliver a connected and vibrant city heart for the Sunshine Coast. Construction is already underway on the first 19-storey tower, with completion targeted for early 2028. The development is being delivered by Walker in collaboration with Sunshine Coast Council and SunCentral.

SOL’s second stage continues the project’s focus on high-quality apartment living, with access to a suite of resident-only amenities including a rooftop sky terrace, wellness retreat, co-working lounge, gym and landscaped garden spaces.

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> combine timeless design with natural materials, generous layouts and panoramic outlooks to the ocean, hinterland and river.&nbsp;

“SOL by Walker establishes a new standard in apartment quality, seamlessly integrating superior craftsmanship with unmatched design,” Danny Juric, Director at Plus Studio, said

[smartcode_project:default project_id=147777 project_image_fid=346899]

Apartments feature open-plan layouts with high ceilings and expansive glazing to enhance natural light and ventilation.&nbsp;

A warm, neutral palette ties together stone benchtops, brushed platinum accents, and sandstone-toned carpet, while large sliding doors connect living areas to generous outdoor spaces.&nbsp;

Kitchens are fitted with integrated Miele appliances, refined cabinetry and thoughtful storage, while bathrooms offer double vanities and oversized showers to balance function and comfort.

As part of the Sunshine Coast’s new CBD, residents will be within walking distance of local retail, dining and green space, with transport connections set to expand as the precinct grows. Once complete, Maroochydore City Centre is expected to deliver thousands of new homes as part of the region’s long-term housing strategy.

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Second release at SOL by Walker expands residential offering in Maroochydore City Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mirvac">Mirvac</a> has marked the topping out of Prince &amp; Parade in Brunswick, celebrating the completion of the building’s highest point and a major step forward for one of the developer’s landmark Melbourne communities.

The milestone forms part of Mirvac’s strong construction momentum across Victoria, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/prince-parade-by-mirvac-brunswick-701-park-street-brunswick-vic-3056">Prince &amp; Parade</a> and The Albertine both recently reaching structural completion. Together, the two projects will deliver 265 new apartments, contributing to much-needed housing supply in Melbourne’s inner suburbs.

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Designed in collaboration with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bates-smart">Bates Smart</a>, Prince &amp; Parade continues a long-standing partnership that has delivered The Melburnian (2002) and The Eastbourne (2019).

The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/brunswick-vic-3056">Brunswick</a> address comprises a mix of one to four-bedroom residences complemented by extensive amenity, including a residents’ lounge, shared dining room and kitchen, library, yoga room, gym, and rooftop terrace, with landscaping by Jack Merlo and a concierge service.

Construction is rapidly transforming the site, with significant milestones achieved across two buildings, supported by 73 slab pours and six fully constructed building cores. Completion is expected in 2026.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4802 project_image_fid=269383]

Mirvac’s General Manager, Residential Development Victoria, Elysa Anderson said Prince &amp; Parade has been strongly received by buyers seeking quality design and trusted delivery.

“These communities have been well received, attracting strong interest from downsizers and professionals who value high-quality design, premium locations and the confidence of buying with Mirvac,” Anderson said.

Prince &amp; Parade has also achieved a record-breaking apartment sale in Brunswick, underscoring its design quality and market appeal.

“We’re incredibly proud to see Prince &amp; Parade set a new benchmark for Brunswick. This <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/exclusive-mirvac-breaks-brunswick-record-with-prince-parade-sale">record-breaking sale</a> is a testament to Mirvac’s design excellence, quality craftsmanship, and our strong reputation for delivering high-quality residential communities across the country,” Anderson said.

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Prince & Parade tops out in Brunswick as Mirvac marks dual Melbourne milestones

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mirvac">Mirvac</a> has celebrated the topping out of The Albertine, marking the completion of the 14-storey structure on the edge of Melbourne’s CBD and signalling strong progress across the developer’s Victorian pipeline.

The milestone forms part of Mirvac’s $7.4 billion Victorian development portfolio, which includes both residential and mixed-use projects such as Prince &amp; Parade in Brunswick, which also reached its highest point recently, and Trielle at Yarra’s Edge, scheduled to top out in early 2026

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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-albertine-by-mirvac-melbourne-31-queens-lane-melbourne-vic-3004">The Albertine</a> offers one to four-bedroom residences complemented by exclusive resident-only amenity, including The Circadian Club, a wellness centre with an indoor pool and spa, gym, yoga and Pilates studio, and sauna, as well as The Elysian Room, a private dining space on level 10 with sweeping views across Melbourne.

Since construction began in August last year, up to 240 workers have been on site daily, pouring 7,000 cubic metres of concrete across 72 pours and installing more than 1,000 tonnes of steel reinforcement to bring the project to this landmark moment.

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Mirvac’s CEO, Development – Residential and Commercial Mixed Use, Stuart Penklis said the achievement highlights Mirvac’s design quality and sustained delivery across Melbourne.

“We are proud to be delivering The Albertine and Prince &amp; Parade, two projects that embody Mirvac’s design excellence, commitment to quality, and focus on creating homes that connect people to their communities," Penklis said.

"With cranes rising high across Melbourne, Mirvac’s residential pipeline is moving strongly, and these milestones are a testament to that momentum."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138659 project_image_fid=294826]

Penklis added that Mirvac’s growing portfolio demonstrates its commitment to providing diverse housing options across Victoria.

“We have recently opened our third build-to-rent community in Melbourne, LIV Albert at Brunswick, our fifth nationally, which together with our master-planned communities ensures that we are providing a full spectrum of housing options to Victorians.

Completion of The Albertine is expected in 2026.

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The Albertine reaches its highest point on Melbourne’s city fringe

Property market

The Brisbane unit market is showing consistent growth,&nbsp;according to CoreLogic&#39;s Monthly Hedonic Home Value Index.

Values jumped 1.4%, following the 1.6% gains in March and 1.5%&nbsp;over February. Values are now 6% up over 2022 already, well on their way to matching the 14.4% growth over 2021.

The quarterly performance, up 4.6%, is the highest in the country for the unit market.

The median apartment value in Brisbane is now $488,393. At the start of 2021, it was just over $390,000.

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Following the RBA&#39;s first interest rate rise in nearly 12 years at the May meeting,&nbsp;the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) said the&nbsp;resilient Queensland market the higher rate forecasts.

REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said given the level of inflation, this may not be the last interest rate rise we see, but it was important to recognise that many market conditions and external factors remain favourable in Queensland.

&ldquo;We know that consumer confidence is key, and this move by the RBA will certainly make people stop and think more carefully about how much they are prepared to borrow, because it&rsquo;s a timely reminder that interest rates can and do go up,&rdquo; she said.

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&ldquo;While on the face of it, it&rsquo;s not an insignificant rise, in the grand scheme of things interest rates have been at historic lows for some time and are still very low.

&ldquo;This is also where our relative affordability is an advantage, as our average home loan rate is much lower than in capital cities like Sydney and Melbourne, and so the impact will be felt less here.

&ldquo;We remain confident in the resilience of the Queensland market because the need and demand for housing is irrespective, and an interest rate rise simply causes people to rethink what they are prepared to spend and how big of a loan they are prepared to enter into.&quot;

Total advertised inventory of both houses and apartments&nbsp;is more than 20 per cent below levels from a year ago in Brisbane, and around 40 per cent lower than the previous five-year average.

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The median apartment value in Brisbane is now $488,393. At the start of 2021, it was just over $390,000

Brisbane apartment market insights: What happened over April

Melbourne&#39;s unit market has continued to hold firm despite a cooling off in the house market.

CoreLogic&rsquo;s national Home Value Index pegged the Melbourne-wide apartment growth at 0.4% over April, the third consecutive month growth in the unit market has outstripped growth in the house market.

The Melbourne unit market (which incorporates both units and townhouses), is now 0.2% since the start of 2022, after posting 0.2% growth across March and 0.1% in Feb. Values started the year poorly, going backwards -0.4% in January.

The median apartment value in Melbourne is now $630,671.

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The growth in unit values is a stark contrast to the house market, which is sliding due to the affordability factors brought to more of a head following the RBA&#39;s interest rate hike in May, and expectation of further rate hikes.

Houses Melbourne-wide, on average, have remained flat since the start of 2022, but that was mainly due to a strong start in January. The rolling quarterly growth is now -0.5% after a 0.2% decline across April, CoreLogic data found.&nbsp;

CoreLogic&rsquo;s Research Director Tim Lawless&nbsp;says the weakening state of the market has taken the rolling quarterly trend into negative territory across Melbourne for the first time since these cities were in the midst of extended lockdowns in mid-to-late 2020.

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Advertised inventory, at a national level, is tracking almost 30 per cent below the previous five-year average however, in weaker markets like Melbourne, advertised supply levels have normalised, with listings in Melbourne 8.2%&nbsp;higher.

Higher stock levels across these markets can be explained by an above average flow of new listings coming on the market in combination with a drop in buyer demand

&ldquo;With higher inventory levels and less competition, buyers are gradually moving back into the driver&rsquo;s seat. That means more time to deliberate on their purchase decisions and negotiate on price,&rdquo; Lawless says.

Rental markets are also showing multi-speed conditions, with most of the capital cities experiencing an upward trend in rental growth in 2022. Nationally, rents were up 2.7% over the three months to April, taking the annual change in national rents to 9.0%. A year ago, the annual change in national rents was 4.9 per cent. Based on the annual change, house rents (+9.1 per cent) are rising faster than unit rents (+8.7 per cent), however this trend is changing sharply as demand for unit rentals increases.

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&ldquo;On a rolling quarterly basis, we are now seeing unit rents rising faster than house rents especially in Melbourne where rental conditions across the unit sector were previously much softer,&rdquo; Lawless says.

&ldquo;The shift in rental demand towards units reflects both rental affordability pressures, which are deflecting more demand towards the &lsquo;cheaper&rsquo; unit sector, and the return of overseas migrants and visitors. Rental demand from overseas arrivals tends to skew towards inner city and higher density precincts.&rdquo;

In Melbourne, unit rents are 3.6 per cent higher over the past three months compared with a 1.2 per cent rise in house rents. Higher yields and long-term prospects for capital growth could see investors comprising a larger portion of housing market activity.

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With the cash rate set to move through a rapid tightening cycle, CoreLogic expect this trend towards a gradual softening in the growth rate will become more pronounced over the coming months, before the national index starts to trend lower.

&ldquo;Although we are expecting the housing market to move into a downturn through the second half of the year, it is important to remember the context of the recent growth phase,&rdquo; he says.

Melbourne's unit market has continued to hold firm despite a cooling off in the house market


alisonwarters@gmail.com

Melbourne apartment market insights: What happened over April

As Brisbane&rsquo;s median house price skyrockets, the gap to the median apartment price widens, but it&rsquo;s set to be short-lived with Colliers research showing the apartment market tipped is for a dramatic price increase.

Brisbane&rsquo;s median house price increased by 10.7 per cent to $890,000 in the March quarter, according to research by Colliers.

The gap between the median house price and the median apartment price is at 49 per cent, the greatest differential Brisbane has seen in two decades.

However, Colliers Director Residential Queensland Andrew Roubicek believes the city is in for a significant price increase in the apartment market as we move into the second half of 2022, with compounding pressures on the construction sector forcing developers of new stock to lift prices.

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&ldquo;Working closely with developers, builders and architects as part of the project marketing arm of Colliers, and selling more than 5,000 apartments annually, we have seen first-hand the impact of labour and material shortages,&rdquo; Roubicek said.

&ldquo;Costs are rising by up to 30 per cent, and recent floods and COVID-induced issues are intensifying the problem and causing significant delays on construction timeframes.&rdquo;

The impact of cost increases as a result of compounding environmental factors has had a dramatic impact on the construction sector, with several builders entering voluntary administration of falling into receivership.

However, Roubicek said the impacts of the cost increases and external pressures had a far wider reaching implications than the construction sector alone.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=100681 project_image_fid=162782]

&ldquo;There have been several examples of new developments achieving presale requirements of around 80 per cent, only to have developers refund deposits and tear up contracts because building costs have escalated to a point that the development is financially unviable,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s left homebuyers utterly upset and disgruntled, particularly in what has become such a competitive market.

&ldquo;As a consequence, developers who are looking to acquire new development sites are forced to increase their projected sale prices by around 20 per cent in their feasibilities. Just 18 months ago a two-bedroom apartment in Brisbane might have sold off the plan for $9,000 per square metre.

&ldquo;But, to build that apartment today the developer would need to achieve a sale price of $11,000 per square metre for the project to stack up. That&rsquo;s a 20 per cent price increase passed directly onto buyers,&rdquo; he added.

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Roubicek said the economic impact of interest rate increases would further impact on housing affordability, forcing buyers back into the apartment market.

&ldquo;Buyers may see better value in the established apartment market in the short-term, as opposed to buying new off the plan. However, this will be a short-lived alternative as supply dries up and investors stake advantage of rental vacancy rates.

&ldquo;We expect surge in demand from investors as the rental vacancy rates continue to fall to less than one per cent and rental yields approach five per cent. This increase in demand will have a significant impact on the second hand apartment pushing up prices reflecting the price of a new apartment.&rdquo;

The gap between the median house price and the median apartment price is a staggering 49 per cent, the greatest differential Brisbane has seen in two decades.



Why Brisbane apartments are set to see significant price growth: Colliers International Australia

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A record two thirds of Australians say now is a good time to buy property, according to the latest research from comparison website Finder.

Having surveyed over 20,000 respondents in their Consumer Sentiment Tracker nationally, 67 per cent believe now is a good time to buy, an all-time high since Finder began tracking the stat in May 2019.

It was 42 per cent in April. 
Graham Cooke, insights manager at Finder, said that the recent uptick in buyer confidence is a good sign for the economy.  
“This rebound in buyer confidence is indicative of increased economic activity over the past few months, along with an optimistic outlook for 2021," Cooke says. 
“Not only did the Australian government do a better job than most at restricting the spread of COVID-19, but federal and state economic support measures helped prop up the property market.  

<img alt="" height="738" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/finder_survey_january.jpg" width="1200">

“Now we're seeing that house values in every capital city bar Melbourne are higher than they were compared the same time last year.  
“This trajectory looks set to continue, with 86% of economists telling Finder* that they expect prices to fully recover nationally this year,” Cooke said. 

Nearly 19 per cent of Australians expect house prices to "significantly increase" in their area. That was just five per cent in September. 
Those who expect property values to "somewhat increase" has jumped to 44% from a low of 18% back in April. 
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Graham Cooke, insights manager at Finder, said that the recent uptick in buyer confidence is a good sign for the economy.

A good time to buy property? A record high number of Aussie's think so

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Media coverage of the Westpac decision to lift mortgage rates 0.2 percentage points has been typically sub-standard.
Many articles, inspired by economists suffering from limelight deficit syndrome, have portrayed this as a death knell for property markets.
As someone who has studied the relationship between interest rates and price movements, I can tell you that this is a not a reasonable conclusion.
Economists and journalists, with their simplistic thought processes, tend to believe that low interest rates = property boom, and rising interest rates = property decline. This contradicts both common sense and historical precedent.
Falling interest rates usually coincide with subdued property markets. The RBA cuts interest rates when the economy is struggling, consumer confidence is low and unemployment is rising – i.e. conditions which are least likely to produce property booms.
This is why most of Australia does not have booming property markets. Only Sydney, which is the centre of the one economy (NSW) that is really pumping, has had a boom. Melbourne, the capital of a state with an okay economy, has displayed some buoyancy but nothing approaching the dizzy heights of Sydney. 
Most of the state and territories have struggling economies and their capital city property markets – Perth, Hobart, Canberra, Darwin, Adelaide – have been stuck in neutral or reverse. Years of very low interest rates have been utterly irrelevant in all of these places.
Regional Australia is dotted with markets that have dropped sharply and others that have gone nowhere in terms of price movements. The exceptions are relatively few and most of them are located amid that one strong state economy, New South Wales. 
The bottom line is that interest rates usually are irrelevant. Economists appear to think they’re the only thing that matters and the sole determinant of outcomes in real estate. In truth, they have little or no bearing. 
Other factors have much greater influence. Sydney had its boom because a change of State Government in 2011 returned sanity and competence to governance, the economy started pumping again and infrastructure spending was revitalised. Money started circulating, businesses started spending, consumers started feeling good about things and the property market, which had been largely dormant for a decade, burst to life.
It would have happened whether the official interest rate was 2%, 4% or 6%.
Conversely, interest rates are most likely to be rising when the national economy is strong, with lots of jobs being created, confidence high and businesses spending big. These are the conditions that drive property booms – and the RBA will lift interest rates to dampen things down. 
Often it requires a long period of multiple rises to quell the buoyancy. Therefore, genuine national property booms – unlike what we have at the moment - usually coincide with periods of high or rising rates.
In the late 1980s, interest rates were lifted repeatedly without dampening the boom - and mortgage rates went as high as 17% before the bull run ended.
To suggest that a 0.2 percentage point rise by one lender will kill the (Sydney) boom shows a low level of understanding.
The reality is that the one major boom in the nation, Sydney’s, has been slowly deflating since the start of the year. APRA didn’t need to take action because the market was taking care of the situation without any interference from self-important bureaucrats.
And Westpac’s tiny nudge to interest rates will have no bearing on the situation.
 
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a>
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Interest rates usually are irrelevant: Terry Ryder

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It didn’t take long for some property commentators to start declaring that the Sydney market was crashing when last week clearance rates came in at 65.1%.
The fools have been released from the asylum when you closely scrutinise this data where Sydney consists of approximately 700 suburbs, so are they all crashing? I looked up Mosman’s clearance rate for last week and it came in at a respectable 87.5% which is hardly crashing as some would have you believe. Don’t get me wrong it is clear that the Sydney real estate market is correcting rather than crashing – this is not a bad thing either.
The problem for some is that intellectually they can’t differentiate between the strong investment market over the owner occupier market, with the investment market cooling at a much more rapid pace due to lending restrictions and consumer sentiment adjustments – which are long overdue.
Many consumers who are chasing investment properties should be quite concerned about what’s around the corner and I’m not referring to banks increasing their respective lending rates. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) can stand aside for the moment because on Melbourne Cup day should it decide to lower the cash rate the major banks won’t be following suit with Westpac, CBA, NAB and ANZ hiking their rates just in the last week. As soon as one moves inevitably the others will all follow although it would be highly unlikely that Westpac will be the next to increase rates.
All eyes should now be on the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) who have now taken over the responsibility of being Australia’s property watchdog. In 39 days the amnesty period for illegal property acquisitions expires and then we will start to see how many have deliberately broken the laws by purchasing Australian real estate – my tip is this will be huge where we can expect 2016 to be the year of the Divestment Order.
This may surprise you that there is a much larger property investigation that will have a significant impact on Australia’s property industry. That being Student Visa Holders who are allowed to purchase a property whilst completing their tertiary studies on the proviso that when they have completed their degrees the subject property must then be sold. The only problem is that Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) who are entrusted to monitor such acquisitions have never actually followed through so we now have no idea how many thousands of properties this includes.
To make matters worse on 18 December 2008, the Rudd Government changed the policy where Student Visa Holder residents in Australia are no longer subject to a $300,000 limit on the value of an established dwelling as their residence. This then saw some students acquiring multi – million dollar residences. Also temporary residents were not required to notify FIRB of any intended acquisitions for established dwellings that were to be their principal place of residence.
Again we are talking about thousands and thousands of transactions where many will now end up with Divestment Orders.
The RBA this week declared in its biannual Financial Stability Review that “Recent investigations by regulators have revealed that standards were somewhat weaker than had originally been thought.” In that case any significant increase in property volumes onto the market would see prices coming down as these are established properties, so unlike off–the–plan properties where 100% can be sold offshore to non-Australian residents.
We are now seeing the housing price growth at its slowest pace since 2012 – which explains why the ATO have a duty of care when they start issuing Divestment Orders. We can also expect to see many households fixing interest rates on their respective mortgages.
A positive sign for those renting, when last Friday the Australian Bureau of Statistics finally got around to updating Australia’s housing occupancy data (the last release was in 2013), the proportion of those renting has edged up to 31.4% with 63.4% of Australians renting being under 35. To further identify just how big the investment market for real estate in Australia is, 1.5 million households now own investment properties on top of their principal place of residence.
Whilst the finger is clearly pointed at negative gearing (I will address that next week) when it was introduced in the late 1990’s, approximately 40% of houses were owned outright with only 28% renting.
The issues are clear in that we have problems with policy making, and that requires urgent attention although this has not been helped with actual mortgage interest rates falling from 7.1% to 4.7% over the past five years.
Property is all about supply vs demand – supply is what we need to be paying closer attention to, so watch the ATO with great interest. Who would have ever thought the ATO would play a central position with Australia’s property markets.
<h5>MOSMAN – 2088</h5>
• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 104 • Number of houses on the market last week – 61
• Number of houses on the market this week – 64
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 65
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 59
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 60
<h5>CREMORNE – 2090</h5>
• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 19
• Number of houses on the market last week – 9
• Number of houses on the market this week – 10
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 32
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 23
• Number of apartments on the market this week – 22
<h5>NEUTRAL BAY – 2089</h5>
• Number of houses on the market this time last year – 7
• Number of houses on the market last week – 13
•Number of houses on the market this week – 10
• Number of apartments on the market this time last year– 51
• Number of apartments on the market last week – 32
*Number of apartments on the market this week – 33
 
ROBERT SIMEON is a director of <a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" target="_blank" title="RWM" rel="nofollow">Richardson Wrench Mosman and Neutral Bay</a> and has been selling residential real estate in Sydney since 1985.  He has also been writing real estate blog <a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" target="_blank" title="Virtual Realty News" rel="nofollow">Virtual Realty News</a> since 2000. 
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Concerns about upcoming Divestment Orders: Robert Simeon

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There are mounting signs that Australia’s housing market may be moving through the peak of the cycle, however it is important to remember that strong housing market conditions have been evident in Sydney and Melbourne while every other capital city has shown relatively sedate conditions.
CoreLogic’s September indices results, released two weeks ago, showed that Sydney dwellings values remained flat over the month and other data flows are also pointing to a moderation in growth conditions across Australia’s largest city and the broader housing market.
The factors that hinting at a market peak (and outlined in further detail below) include:
<ul>
<li>Auction results have been consistently moderating, especially in Sydney where clearance rates have been sub 70% consistently over the past five weeks</li>
<li>Listing numbers are rising, which is normal during the Spring season, but a higher than normal number of homes are being added to the market in Sydney which is contributing to higher stock levels than a year ago and rising months of supply.</li>
<li>Investment demand is moderating due to both tougher lending from the banks as well as market disincentives such as low yields, affordability constraints and a mature growth cycle.</li>
<li>Mortgage related activity has fallen across CoreLogic platforms. Although activity remains higher than a year ago, mortgage related events are down from heights seen over the first half of 2015 and aren’t seeing their normal spring bounce.</li>
<li>Rents are hardly moving which has pushed rental yields to historic lows in Sydney and Melbourne. Paying a landlord is likely becoming more affordable than paying a mortgage despite the low interest rate setting.</li>
<li>The cost of debt is rising outside of any upwards movement in the cash rate. Higher debt servicing costs can only act as a disincentive.</li>
<li>Supply levels are set to rise further as the pipeline of approvals moves through the commencement phase and onto completed housing product. Inner city apartment markets are most exposed to higher supply.</li>
</ul>
While conditions may be starting to slowdown, particularly in Sydney, the coming months will provide further clarity about housing market conditions. Picking the turning point in the housing market is easy in retrospect, but as the market evolves it can be hard to separate short term movements from the beginnings of a longer term trend.   The coming months of data flows through to the end of the year will provide a great deal more perspective.”
Mature growth cycle The current growth cycle broadly commenced in June 2012, with dwelling values shifting almost 32% higher since this time across the combined capital cities. The rate of capital gains has been led by Sydney where values are almost 50% higher, and Melbourne where dwelling values have shifted 35% higher over the cycle to date. Brisbane has seen the third highest rate of value growth over the period at a comparatively modest 14.5% showing the multi-tiered nature of the capital city housing market at present.
<a href="/images/2015/10/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-26%20at%2011.04.03%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-26%20at%2011.04.03%20AM.png" alt="" width="790" height="598">
Dwelling values do fall. Capital city dwelling values retreated by 7.2% over the previous down phase which lasted from October 2010 through to the end of May 2012, and previously during the GFC period of 2008 capital city dwelling values shifted 6.1% lower.
<a href="/images/2015/10/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-26%20at%2011.05.26%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-26%20at%2011.05.26%20AM.png" alt="" width="836" height="614">
 
Auction results are moderating but remain historically high The auction market peaked over the last week of April this year with a combined capital city clearance rate of 82%. Since that time, clearance rates have been consistently falling, with weekly clearance rates holding below the 70% mark over the past five weeks.
Sydney has shown a similar trend, with clearance rates peaking at 90% over the last week of April. Sydney’s clearance rate was recorded at 63% last week, the lowest clearance since March 2013. The lower clearance rate comes on substantially higher volumes compared with a year ago. The Spring season to date has seen 7,193 auctions held across Sydney which is 1,609 (29%) higher than over the same period a year ago.
The slump in clearance rates hasn’t been as sharp in Melbourne where the weekly clearance peaked at 87% over the last week of April and has consistently reduced to the current level of around 73%. Melbourne clearance rates haven’t slipped below 70% since February this year. Auction volumes across Melbourne are at roughly the same level as a year ago, with 7,394 auctions held so far this Spring (7,381 at the same period a year ago).
Outside of Sydney and Melbourne, auction sales are only a small proportion of all sales. Over the year to date, Sydney and Melbourne account for 84% of all auctions held across the capital cities.
<a href="/images/2015/10/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-26%20at%2011.07.10%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-26%20at%2011.07.10%20AM.png" alt="" width="880" height="1011">
Listing numbers are rising While it’s normal for listing numbers to ramp up during the Spring season, the number of new listings being added to the Sydney housing market is now 4.4% higher than last year and total listing are nearly 6% higher than a year ago suggesting new advertised supply isn’t being absorbed as fast as a year ago. The same trend of higher listing numbers has been evident for some time in the weakest housing markets of Darwin and Perth where total listing are roughly 12% higher compared with a year ago.
<a href="/images/2015/10/26/8-580x378.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/26/8-580x378.jpg" alt="">
 
Listing numbers haven’t seen the same escalation in Melbourne where the housing market doesn’t appear to be slowing at the same pace as the Sydney market. Listing numbers remain lower than a year ago in Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart as well, where value growth has been much more moderate compared with Sydney and Melbourne.
With listing numbers rising in some markets, ‘months of supply’ is also rising
‘Months of supply’ provides an indication about how long it would take, based on the current rate of sale, the market to absorb all the homes currently being advertised for sale. Sydney is still showing the months of supply reading at 2.4 months, however, we have seen the first rise in this reading since 2012. At the same time, months of supply is holding firm in Melbourne but reducing in Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart. Where housing market conditions are weaker (Perth, Darwin, Canberra) the monthly of supply readings are rising, providing better buying conditions for prospective purchasers.
<a href="/images/2015/10/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-26%20at%2011.12.39%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-26%20at%2011.12.39%20AM.png" alt="">
Investment demand appears to be moderating The value of investment related housing finance commitments has reduced over three of the past four months and owner occupiers have once again overtaken investors as being the most active segment of the housing market based on the value of new loans being committed to.
 The slowdown in investment related mortgage activity has been evident across every state, but has been most felt in New South Wales, where investors have reduced from comprising nearly 63% of the market in May this year to a much lower (but still high from a historical perspective) 54.9% in August. It’s likely investment activity has reduced further over recent months due to the premium being placed on investment mortgage rates and a requirement for larger deposits, as well as natural disincentives such as record low rental yields and affordability and affordability constraints.
<a href="/images/2015/10/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-26%20at%2011.14.16%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-26%20at%2011.14.16%20AM.png" alt="">
 
Mortgage related activity has eased from historically high levels across CoreLogic mortgage platforms
CoreLogic facilitates more than 90% of all mortgage related valuation instructions, which provides one of the timeliest indicators of mortgage activity available. While mortgage activity is approximately 4% higher than at the same time last year, activity has moderated from the highs recorded earlier in the year.
<a href="/images/2015/10/26/15-580x301.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/26/15-580x301.jpg" alt="">
Weekly rents are hardly moving and gross rental yields have pushed to record lows Across the combined capital cities, weekly rents have increased by only half a percent over the past twelve months. At a time when capital city dwelling values have increased by 11.0%, the sluggish pace of rental movements has pushed rental yields to the lowest level on record.
Gross rental yields are the lowest in Melbourne and Sydney at just 3.0% and 3.3% respectively (lower for detached houses and slightly higher for apartments) and also sit at record low levels. Accounting for holding costs such as vacancy, property management fees, maintenance etc, the net rental yield in these cities likely to be around the low to mid two percent mark.
The low yield scenario is likely to act as another disincentive for investors at a time when the growth cycle has been running for almost three and half years. for investors at a time when the growth cycle has been running for almost three and half years.
<a href="/images/2015/10/26/16-580x152.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/26/16-580x152.jpg" alt="">
 
Costs of debt are rising out of cycle with the cash rate
In July this year Australia’s largest banks placed a premium on investment related mortgage rates of between 27 and 29 basis points. More recently, Westpac has announced additional premiums on mortgage rates for both owner occupier and investment loans outside of any movement in the cash rate.
<a href="/images/2015/10/26/17-580x227.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/26/17-580x227.jpg" alt="">
 
Supply levels are set to increase further
Dwelling approvals appear to have peaked earlier this year after an unprecedented boom in the number of dwellings approved for construction. As the pipeline of approvals migrates to project commencements and ultimately completions, we can expect the supply of new housing, particularly apartments, to provide a further easing in price upwards price pressures.
The majority of new supply set to hit the market will be in Melbourne and Sydney where population growth has remained the strongest, however Brisbane and Perth have also seen a substantial influx of new housing approvals. In last week’s Financial Stability Review the Reserve Bank warned of the risk of a potential housing over-supply in inner city areas of Melbourne and Brisbane due to the large boom in new apartment construction.
<a href="/images/2015/10/26/18-580x202.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/26/18-580x202.jpg" alt="">
Tim Lawless is head of the CoreLogic RP Data research and analytics team and can be contacted <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/author/timlawless/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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The seven signs that the property market may be peaking: Tim Lawless

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CoreLogic-RP Data reported a rebound in preliminary auction clearance clearance rates, with increases in Sydney (to 72.8%), Melbourne (74.1%), and Brisbane (59.4 %).
<a href="/images/2015/10/12/A1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/12/A1.jpg" alt="">
The trend in Brisbane improved slightly from 59.1% last week and 48.8% one year ago.
<a href="/images/2015/10/12/A2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/12/A2.jpg" alt="">
 
<div>Sydney's preliminary clearance rate of 72.8% from an elevated number of 1,141 auctions remained strong, but the market is clearly now a two-speed affair with the western suburbs, north west and south west all having slowed in recent weeks.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The northern beaches recorded the strongest clearance rate this weekend (88%), with the eastern suburbs (85.5%) and city &amp; inner south (81.9%) all recording strong results.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The eastern suburbs have proven to be particularly strong performers of late.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Most properties with a Bondi tagline continue to sell well, while Bronte, Clovelly, Coogee, Darling Point, Maroubra etc. also remain rock solid...</div>
<a href="/images/2015/10/12/A3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/12/A3.jpg" alt="">
 
The real blockbuster sales this weekend, however, were seen on the lower north shore, specifically in Chatswood, with the previous suburb record being swept away...twice.
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>. 
His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
 
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Auctions on the rebound: Pete Wargent

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Now, if you are not a believer in being prepared and you don't feel that the property market will drop; put that coffee mug away. Click back to your Facebook page. Danger, read this at your own peril.
For the rest of us, it's time to pour ourselves a fresh cup of coffee, and look at the property market trends. Trends that we have been discussing for over 12 months now, and have been preparing our readers for: i.e. the changes in market forces.
Here we are, moving into 2016 and again, economists with invested interest in the property market continue to spruik the “steady property growth” in Sydney and the “she’ll be right” lines.
Our readers, followers and clients, on the other hand have been preparing for the reality of what is about to “slap” many economists in the proverbial face and a lot of investors, rip holes in their back pockets.
Sydney Property Snapshot: Auction Result Saturday 30 January 2016
There are a number of key take-aways from the transaction report or “on the market history” shown above (Source CoreLogic RPData). I will concentrate on three of these as follows.
<ul>
<li>Vendor's &amp; Agent's Expectations:</li>
</ul>
We may on the one hand say, vendor’s expectations were being fueled by the main-stream-media’s property reports, coupled with the crazy prices being paid by our friendly Chinese investors and home grown investors wanting to jump on the "Gravy Train".
Expectations also adding to real estate agent's promises of achieving high prices.
Prices again being fueled by buyer's fear of missing out, coupled with the notion of huge under-supply as well as beliefs of  “not enough land”. Then there are the ongoing beliefs of: high migration intake and that "interest rates won’t go up anytime soon: therefore, commit now". My favorite "HUGE rental squeeze".
The above mentioned beliefs as you well guessed, primed the market and created a foundation for this property bubble. A foundation that supported the comparable sales in the area, in most instances; prices that reflected the initial “Above $730K” prices being advertised i.e. the prices being paid at the height of the market.
<ul>
<li>Agent’s Marketing &amp; Sales Strategy:</li>
</ul>
The main strategy I want to review, is the one carried out by the second agency. In simple language: “what the hell were they thinking in taking the property to auction” and for a second time?
I can only say; yes, I’m sure the vendor is now conditioned and perhaps even bullied into being a “motivated vendor”.
<ul>
<li>Drops and Market Conditions:</li>
</ul>
However, we can see on the surface by the evidence presented in the recent auction reports, vendors are moving into very precarious territory when taking property to auction on an agent’s ‘whim’. And, you have to be careful who you appoint as the real estate agent and the auctioneer, if that is the method you are told is the best way to sell your home.
Again, the table above shows two key points: the first, the drop in asking to highest bid value and the second, the number of days on the market.
The passed-in bid, is reported to be $650,000 by the second agent. A significant drop and contrary to the first agent's initial asking price which was for: offers above $730,000. WOW ...
We can see a significant drop of willingness for people to commit now. A difference of almost -12% from the height of the market in 2015, to now. But, there is more room for a further drop.
I point out; we are only a month into 2016.There will be more carnage to come. Carnage that will take out many vendors that are not vigilant.
For Now: Is it a matter of...
<ol start="1">
<li>Signs of the times?</li>
<li>Real Estate Agent's flawed marketing strategy?</li>
<li>Auctioneer's ignorance? OR</li>
<li>All of the above?</li>
</ol>
More than ever before, I urge you as vendors and agents; do your homework. Ask yourselves as agents, the fundamental question which is pertinent to obtaining the best price for your client: is an auction campaign still the best way forward, for your vendor?
Vendors, again more than ever, be proactive and ask the agent about the number of registered bidders leading up to the auction day. If none are registered then ask whether you should still be going to auction. Meet the auctioneer and ensure they go through the property, days before the actual auction date that is.
Most of all vendors, do not be afraid to question the agent's reasoning for the marketing strategy they want you to embark on. It may well cost you 10's to 100's of thousands of dollars, if you don't.
EDWIN ALMEIDA is licensee in charge of <a href="https://www.just-think.com.au/" target="_blank">Just Think Real Estate</a>.<a href="https://www.just-thin.com.au/"> </a>
He is also the creator of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/JustThinkProperty" target="_blank">Oz Real Estate.TV</a> and a presenter for <a href="https://propertyinvestingvault.com/" target="_blank">propertyinvestingvault.com</a>.
 
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Predictions to rip a hole in your back pocket: Edwin Almeida

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Entering the property market is a tough gig for first home buyers, especially when faced with competition from buyers who hold larger buying budgets, some of which has been accrued from property equity earned as a result of recent strong capital gains.  
While home value rises have been moderate over recent years outside of Sydney and Melbourne, it provides little comfort for first home buyers in the two largest cities who struggle to compete with those that already own homes.
In 2008, combined capital city home values fell by -6.1 percent in the space of 9 months. By the end of the year, home values had reached and began to climb further thereafter. 
<a href="/images/2016/05/25/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-26%20at%203.35.10%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/05/25/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-26%20at%203.35.10%20PM.png" alt="">
The growth drivers largely came from two forms of stimulus: aggressive interest rate cuts and a boost to the First Home Owners Grant (FHOG). Since the removal of the FHOG boost and scaling back and complete removal of others, first home buyers have continued to languish at near record-low levels.
The increase in home values across each capital city from December 2008 to April 2016 can be seen in the first of the adjacent charts. Another way to think about this is that if in December 2008 you owned a home worth $500,000 it is now worth $758,418 which is $258,418 more than in December 2008. Looking at this same calculation across each capital city, the increases in value over that time based on a $500,000 home owned in December 2008 are: Sydney ($400,825), Melbourne ($338,866), Brisbane ($73,417), Adelaide ($81,029), Perth ($64,096), Hobart ($11,263), Darwin ($109,293) and Canberra ($126,262).
The data clearly shows that the value property for home owners has undergone some massive rises, the increase in inflation and wages has been comparatively more sedate. 
Although combined capital city home values have increased by 51.7 percent between December 2008 and April 2016, inflation has increased by a significantly lower 17.1 percent over the period. CPI has increased by a greater amount than values in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart indicating ‘real’ home values have fallen. Meanwhile in Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin and Canberra CPI growth has lagged that of home value growth. 
Looking at wages growth between December 2008 and March 2016, the data shows that nationally, and in New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT, it has lagged value growth across the capital cities; wages are now growing at their slowest pace in at least 18 years. 
While the increases highlighted include strong wage increases in the latter part of the mining boom, nonetheless, it shows that in NSW and Vic wages are increasing at a much slower pace than home values in Sydney and Melbourne are. 
The last chart shows the change in the value of new lending (excluding refinances) to investors, owner occupier first home buyers and subsequent buyers between December 2008 and March 2016, and highlights how the value of lending to owner occupier first home buyers is now lower than it was in December 2008 across each state and territory. 
This has occurred despite the increase in home values over the timeframe.
While lending to owner occupier first home buyers has fallen, lending to investors and subsequent buyers has increased in most states and territories with substantial rises in NSW and Vic.
Outside of Sydney and Melbourne home values have increased below or at a similar pace to inflation and wages, however, it is a very different story in the two largest capital cities where existing Sydney and Melbourne home owners have seen significant increases in the ‘real’ value of their home.
Those that do not yet own a property will struggle to compete with investors and upgraders who have been active in the market and where significant equity has been acquired.
<a href="/images/2016/05/25/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-26%20at%203.36.10%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/05/25/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-26%20at%203.36.10%20PM.png" alt="">
The simple answer for first home buyers, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne, is to look to buy properties outside of these cities however, that may seem a little simplistic given jobs creation has not been as strong outside of Sydney and Melbourne and for many moving interstate, employment opportunities are generally a big decision.
Even buying outside of Sydney in nearby regional cities may not be attractive because transport infrastructure does not provide quick and efficient access to Sydney and Melbourne from nearby regional cities. 
Whatever the outcome, we certainly don’t advocate for the return of grants for first home buyers as they have tended to just push up the cost of housing.
Cameron Kusher is research analyst for CoreLogic RP Data. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/about/">here</a>.
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