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

Joel Robinson

Juliet to sit quietly amid Roseville apartment boom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Property market

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SQM's Louis Christopher thinks that dwelling price rises may materialise from the second half of the year as demand increases as a result of an expected improvement in confidence.
He added so far this year the national market this year has fallen by another 3.8 percent. 
"Our base case forecast, released in our 2019 Housing Boom and Bust Report back in November 2018, was for a total 2019 dwelling price fall of between 3 percent to 6 percent.
"It would be fair to say that up until this past weekend the market was heading towards the bottom end of that forecast." Christopher noted his 2018/19 Housing Boom and Bust report had a scenario 4 which followed a Liberal victory with interest rate cuts late in 2019. 
He anticipates the national housing market could record a price fall for this calendar year of between 1 percent to 4 percent.
"We believe the Liberal victory means increasing buyer confidence in the market which was severely lacking as a result of the anticipation of the change in negative gearing and capital gains tax by a Labor Government."
But Christopher considers an upside on his scenario 4 forecast which did not take into account additional loosening on credit lending with <a id="LPlnk285314" href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=5823b4fe77&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">APRA</a> set to drop the 7 percent theoretical interest rate for banks to use when calculating serviceability by borrowers. 
"This move should mean that more loan applicants will qualify for a loan and/or their borrowing limits will increase." Following the May statement by the Reserve Bank, Christopher noted it appears a cut in the cash rate next month is almost a certainty. "Scenario 4 does not take into account an earlier than expected rate cut.  "If there was such a cut over the course of June, July and/or August, it is likely the market would respond and demand for residential property would increase over and above our scenario 4 forecast. "Needless to say a combination of loosening credit restrictions plus a cut in interest rates, increases the risk of another housing boom which I am sure that is not what the ‘powers that be’ would want, but they may well yet get."   Christopher noted the Australian housing market still contains headwinds which include:
<ul>
<li>The Sydney and Melbourne markets are still in overvaluation despite the price corrections that have occurred since mid-2017.</li>
<li>Ongoing restrictions on home lending in the form of a more conservative HEM and reduced purchasing power multiples on reported borrower net income.</li>
<li>Ongoing global trade tensions causing some economic uncertainty</li>
<li>Ongoing high housing Debt to GDP levels</li>
<li>Elevated rental vacancy rates, particularly for Sydney.</li>
<li>Elevated listings in Sydney and Melbourne</li>
</ul>
"These headwinds should initially prevent another rapid housing boom from developing.
"However, if we are to see a rate cut of 50 basis points or more over the next 2-3 months, combined with today’s announcement by APRA, all cards are off the table for 2020.  
"And for 2019, our scenario 4 estimates may well end up being too conservative with the risks plainly being on the upside.
SQM's initial forecast for 2019 was:
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/5/21/sqm%201.png" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/21/sqm%201.png" alt=""> Source: SQM Research
<div>
 
</div>
 
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Liberal win, APRA loosening and pending RBA rate cut sees SQM's Louis Christopher forecast price recovery

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The nation has breathed a sigh of relief that the Federal election is now over and we can all start to move forward with a greater degree of certainty. But exactly what does the continued Liberal government mean for the Australian property market and our investors?
Negative gearing remaining untouched is one of the most key policies for Australian investors. Fear-mongering in the media built up over the last few months with even Prime Minister Scott Morrison predicting that ALP’s proposed changes to negative gearing would result in a housing market crash.
ALP also proposed increasing capital gains tax which was another nail in its election campaign coffin in the eyes of the investment community along with the unpopular retiree tax which would have stung self-funded retirees.
Even the sweeteners weren’t enough to save ALP with Australians seeing through the thinly veiled attempts to support construction of new property with the proposal for negative gearing to only apply to brand new property.
Sentiment will almost instantly improve in the construction and development sectors safe in the knowledge that property will remain Australia’s preferred investment class and that investor appetite for property new and old, will continue unabated.
The message to the ALP was abundantly clear - hands off our investment property policy thanks very much!
We can expect the market to continue to hum along without the changes to negative gearing for investors – but what else is in store?
The Coalition campaign relied heavily on the words “strong economy” to get it across the line, but just how strong is the Australian economy right now and what does it need to get into place to bolster it?
According to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) the economy may not be as strong as our politicians would have us believe.
RBA has scaled back its forecast for economic growth this financial year in its latest monetary policy statement to just 1.7%, over half a percentage point below its previous forecast.
In addition wages growth remains stagnant and according to commentators, has been weaker over the past six years than at any other time since World War II.
Property prices in many capitals have cooled after the period of unprecedented price hikes and inflation is at a historic low of just 1.3%, well below the RBA’s target range of 2 to 3% for more than three years.
Employment growth has been moderate but is driven by the public sector and community services while sectors considered key to driving the economy, such as manufacturing and retail, are shrinking.
While Morrison has played Mortgage Insurer for First Home Buyers, the finer details need to be fleshed out in order to deliver a great policy to stimulate the market.
ScoMo and his team really have their work cut out for him to get our domestic economy cranking.
But right now for Australian investors these conditions create a buyer’s market. Prices have come off the boil across many key markets and savvy investors can snap up some good deals that will show growth over the medium to longer term.
According to the latest HIA Affordability Index, housing affordability improved across the country by the fastest rate since September, 2013 – with the Index rising by 2.2% nationally in the March quarter. Interest rates remain low and are forecast to be reduced even further over the next 12 months.
With no changes to negative gearing policy properties both new and old will have appeal and offer different advantages for each investor’s unique circumstances.
The election is no longer looming over us all so after a “sit and wait” period over the last few months we can expect to now see greater activity in the property markets. All eyes will be on the Coalition to see if it can live up to its campaign promises now and keep the Australian economy strong.
JAMES NIHILL is the Managing Director of Patrick Leo, a Sydney based property advice and services company.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

ScoMo and the Coalition have their work out to boost the domestic economy: James Nihill

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GUEST OBSERVATION 
The Royal Commission has sparked fresh discussions in Australia surrounding mortgages, in particular, what it means for homeowners who are currently paying interest only loans and how this will shape the Australian property market in years to come.
In-depth investigations during the commission put newfound pressure on Australian Financial Institutions to significantly improve their lending standards and reduce higher risk lending. Currently, approximately 200,000 Australians have interest-only loans but with the government removing the interest-only benchmark at the start of 2019, this figure is set to change drastically.
In the past, Australian banks offered interest-only mortgages to customers which could be renewed every five years. However, the removal of the benchmark now means that homeowners cannot renew interest-only loans and instead, must begin principal repayments as part of their mortgage repayments.
In addition to this, commissioner Kenneth Hayne proposed changes to the mortgage broker industry, whereby the consumer would be required to pay the mortgage broker’s commission, instead of the banks.
These proposed changes have the ability to drastically affect the landscape of the mortgage industry by potentially wiping out the whole mortgage broking system, leaving larger financial institutions with the freedom to set the interest rates however high they choose.
But who will be the most affected if these changes are confirmed? Unsurprisingly, it’s fairly widespread and will impact current Australian homeowners as well as those looking to borrow money, even impacting those in the rental market.
Homeowners will be paying more for their mortgages
There is approximately $360 billion worth of money wrapped up in interest-only mortgages. In the past, mortgage repayments have been dependant on interest rates, which fluctuate due to mortgage brokers and banks offering competitive rates.
But with the expiration of interest-only loans after three-years, homeowners will be required to fork out a lot more for their mortgage repayments, potentially increasing a massive 70%. An example of this is if you are currently paying $3,000 a month in repayments on interest only, interest and principal would escalate monthly repayments to $4,700.
The impact of requiring to pay principal will depend on the financial situation and lifestyle of the homeowner but those with a large property portfolio of interest-only will be hit the hardest.
This means having a buoyant property portfolio will only be available to those who are cashed up, which then leads to a flow on affect in the rental industry.
Tenants will likely experience an increase in rent
Even with the current market experiencing price declines, the prospect of purchasing a home will now seem even more daunting to prospective buyers due to these changes, driving one-third of Australians to rent instead.
Typically, most interest-only loans are covered by the rental income on an investment property. But with investors now set to be more out of pocket due to principal repayments, it’s only natural that this will affect how tenants are charged, with some landlords opting to charge more in rent in an effort to cover the difference.
Less money in the tenant's pockets means less money to put towards their own house deposit and this creates a vicious cycle. It’s unfortunate that salaries do not increase the same way houses do.
The fallout from the commission has led many people to debate how they should react but the truth is, it’s still a bit blurry. Once the new government is in place in May and the new budget is announced, things will start to cement.
But one thing that is certain is it going to be a lot tougher to borrow money, whether it be for investment or as an owner occupier. It’s not that banks don’t want to lend, more the Royal Commission has governed them to be more responsible when it comes to lending. We live in a society where it is very easy to shift the blame to others but at the end of the day, it comes down to each individual’s financial situation and the lifestyle they lead.
Bruce Oliver is the co-founder of Xynergy Realty, a Melbourne-based real estate agency.
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How the Royal Commission will affect the property market: Bruce Oliver

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Land Services SA has unveiled its upgraded digital land titles platform, designed to deliver better knowledge of the South Australian property market.
The revamp includes a new web portal, www.landservices.com.au, through which South Australians can research and access land transaction services.
There's been a rebranding including a new logo, and a refresh of the South Australian Integrated Land Information System (SAILIS). 
Land Services SA CEO Brenton Pike said the revamp illustrated the company investing and innovating since its commercialisation in October 2017. 
Land Services SA has also launched its SA Property Landscape Report in partnership with professional services firm BDO, revealing a snapshot of the wealth of historic property data.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/2/21/SA%20data%201.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge:
 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/2/21/SA%20data%201.jpg" alt="">
Source: Land Services
“While our roots are in processing and recording property transactions and the provision of valuation services, we can add significant value by improving the accessibility and availability of property data to South Australia’s thriving start up and entrepreneurial ecosystem,” Pike said.
“Our investment in system upgrades, innovative solutions for the land services industry, and support for the innovation hub in Adelaide to foster local digital start-up ventures together with the South Australian Government, is creating value for our communities.” 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/2/21/SA%20data%202.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge:
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/2/21/SA%20data%202.jpg" alt="">
Source: Land Services 
Land Services SA has also partnered with South Australian AI start-up Daitum, which is part of the Lot Fourteen innovation hub located at the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site, to unlock the potential value in its property data, and understand how it can be more effectively utilised.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/2/21/SA%20data%203.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge:
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/2/21/SA%20data%203.jpg" alt="">
Source: Land Services 
The findings of the Land Services SA and Daitum initiative will be presented at the Lot Fourteen innovation hub to further promote collaborative innovation and testing. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/2/21/SA%20data.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge:
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/2/21/SA%20data.jpg" alt="">
Source: Land Services
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Land Services SA reveals historic data on state's property market

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Here’s the dumbest question an investor can ask: is this a good time to buy real estate?
The question shows a fundamental and dangerous lack of understanding about property.
A much smarter question is: WHERE is it a good time to buy real estate? Because in a nation as large and as diverse as Australia, at any point in time it’s a good time to buy somewhere. The trick is finding those locations where it’s opportune to buy.
I find myself constantly explaining to consumers that there is no such creature as “the Australian property market”. People think there is because the media keeps telling them there is, aided and abetted by economists who see everything nationally.
The headlines keep proclaiming that “Australian property prices” are falling, because those who think nationally describe housing market growth or decline with a single figure to measure the entire nation.
It’s a ludicrous proposition and one that misleads and misinforms consumers.
So here we are again at the start of a new year and it’s opportune once again to tell people that the essence of success in property investment is understanding that we don’t have one market in Australia.
We have lots of markets and your objective is to avoid the ones which are in decline and locate the ones that are rising or will soon do so.
Fortunately, this is not difficult – so long as you can kick the newspaper reading habit and conduct proper research and acquire real knowledge.
If you’re willing and able to do that, you’ll be miles ahead of the herd and one of the relatively few who will succeed in this business.
If you’ve been searching for predictions on likely outcomes in 2019 – and you’ve been using mainstream media as your primary source – you’ll be massively confused and misinformed, because newspapers and other tabloid media like the ABC have featured only those who have forecast major and widespread price decline.
The vast majority of forecasters – the calm, sensible, rational ones like BIS, Domain, SQM Research, Propertyology and most of the major lenders – have predicted fairly optimistic outcomes in 2019 and 2020. But few of the major newspapers have published their forecasts.
A common theme among the credible forecasters is that Sydney and Melbourne will bottom out in the middle of 2019 and gradually return to moderate price growth, while the smaller capital cities will show growth this year ranging from moderate to strong.
Very few bother with the regions – which is a shame because the biggest price growth in 2018 was in regional areas and this is likely to be the case again in 2019.
One who does look at the regions as well as the capital cities and presents sensible forecasts based on research is Simon Pressley of Propertyology.
Like Louis Christopher of SQM Research, Pressley presents three scenarios in his forecasting, which relate to different outcomes with the lending environmental.
His scenario which assumes lenders returning to “sensible credit policies” in the first quarter of the year (which I think is likely) has Hobart again leading the capital cities on price growth, with rises of up to 10%.
He sees Perth making a solid recovery, with house prices up by between 4% and 7%. He also expects Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane to be good markets with price growth up to 5-6%.
He expects Melbourne to bottom out during with the year, with only moderate price decline, and Sydney falling a further 3-6%.
I note that Domain published broadly similar forecasts for 2019 recently and I think Pressley is pretty much on the mark, although I think Adelaide will do better than he predicts and that Hobart growth will be less, because I think that market is past its peak. 
Propertyology believes regional centres in the resources states Western Australia and Queensland will be among the best-performing markets this year. Pressley suggests the Sunshine Coast and Cairns will lead in Queensland, with big improvement also in Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton and Toowoomba.
In WA he likes Albany, Busselton and Margaret River, with Pilbara towns strong also. As always, I urge caution with any market where the mining sector dominates the local economy.
In regional NSW he likes Wagga Wagga, Armidale, Tamworth, Bathurst, Parkes and Muswellbrook, while in regional Victoria he favours Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Warrnambool and Bairnsdale.
I can’t disagree with much of that. Propertyology and Hotspotting use different methodologies but we often arrive at the same conclusions.
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
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Where is it a good time to be buying property in 2019: Hotspotting's Terry Ryder

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Values throughout the Ballina Shire stabilised throughout 2018 after strong increases throughout the 2016 and 2017 calendar years, according to the latest Herron Todd White residential report. 
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The report noted agents who actively market property throughout the Ballina Shire generally report lower numbers of enquiry. 
Some Ballina regions experienced declines in value on the back of weaker Sydney and Melbourne markets, although the lack of available stock generally prevented any notable falls in value throughout the sought-after areas of the shire, HTW noted.
A lack of stock did drive the market and buyers were seen moving out of the suburb of Byron Bay into the more affordable coastal resort town of Lennox Head which saw the market in Lennox Head climb in 2018.
"The overall market started slightly sluggishly in January and February, however lack of stock saw the market continue to surge throughout 2018. Early stages of flattening were evident throughout the October to November period," the valuation firm said.
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The buy in price point of $750,000 to $1.2 million did well throughout the year of 2018. Larger allotments located in Ocean Shores with future subdivision potential did particularly well with a spike in sales. In Lennox Head, sales also spiked with buyers wising up and moving away from the iconic town of Byron Bay towards a smaller township where their money could be spread further.
"At the beginning of 2018, it was predicted that the oversupply of vacant land in Lennox Head may be of some concern. 
"We have yet to see any signs of an oversupply of vacant land, with value levels within new residential estates remaining firm, however it would appear that the developer’s conscientious release of land without flooding the market could be partly responsible to this," the report noted.
The prediction for the Byron Shire market that was made all the way back in February was mostly correct.
A recent sale in Ocean Shores is a four bedroom which has been sold for $950,000. 
Sitting elevated on a 923sqm block, the house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-ocean+shores-128709658" target="_blank">18 Goondooloo Drive</a> (pictured above) comes with multiple living zones,four bedrooms, eat-in kitchen,  and double garage.
It's within walking distance to the Ocean Shores cafes and shops or a short hop to New Brighton, Brunswick Heads and Byron Bay.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/12/21/lennox%20head.jpg" alt="">
A two bedroom Lennox Head townhouse has been recently sold for $1.17 million.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-townhouse-nsw-lennox+head-128818454" target="_blank">1/43 Stewart Street</a> (pictured above), the beach house feautres two bedroom, sunroom, study, modern kitchen with stone benches, salt water plunge pool and high ceilings.
It's located within easy walking distance to Lake Ainsworth.
The report mentioned a large portion of the buyer demographic in this locality were people coming from Melbourne or Sydney. 
"The market was majorly influenced by investors and baby boomers looking for a sea change. More recently though we have seen buyers in the 30 to 50-year-old bracket with young families sustaining city job opportunities whilst living away from metropolitan areas." 
There continues to be renovation, renewal and gentrification activity occurring within established residential areas of Ballina and in particular the Ballina Island and East Ballina precincts, according to an earlier Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report. 
The report suggested this is due to requirements from both owner-occupiers and also from potential buyers, and there remains good demand for quality renovated product.
However, the majority of new development within the Ballina Shire is occurring in housing estates such as Epiq at Lennox Head, Ferngrove and Riveroaks at Ballina, Ballina Heights at Cumbalum and the new estates located to the north-west fringe of Wollongbar.
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"It is interesting to note that over the past five years, we have seen a significant increase in construction of self-contained flats and second dwellings of house lots, both in established residential areas and also in new housing estates." the HTW report noted.
The increased construction of self-contained flats and second dwellings can be attributed to the strong rental demand across the Ballina Shire coupled with the fact that there remains limited one and two-bedroom residential units being constructed within established suburbs. 
Subsequently properties which possess rear lane access and allow approval and construction of second dwellings in established residential localities have become more sought after, the report said. 
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"In the Byron Shire, home renovation and new construction in established areas are on the rise. We see the renovation aspect of this market evident in all suburbs within this locality. An example is Suffolk Park, where homes built in the 1960s and 1970s are being extended and externally remodelled to a more contemporary design," the valuation firm noted.
A Suffolk Park renovated beachfront home was on the market with the price guide of $1.1 million to $1.2 million. It sold in December at $1.1 million.
Set on a 922sqm, the<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-suffolk+park-129206958" target="_blank"> 17/2 Alcorn Street </a>house comes with two bedrooms, open plan kitchen/dining/living, and study.
It has been recently renovated with the new kitchen and bathrooms. 
This is also evident in the township of Mullumbimby, where 1930 to 1940 built homes are being updated to compete with new builds occurring in the fringe Tuckeroo Estate.
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The majority of buyer types in this market within the Byron Shire are more of the owner-occupier variety rather than house flippers or spec builders. The suburb where they would achieve the most profit is isolated to that of Byron Bay. Buyers have been capitalising on the increased margin of the price point buy in for this particular coastal resort town.
There has also been an increase in the number of sales as well as price point within the prestige residential market for centrally located properties in close proximity to the Byron Bay CBD, beach and facilities. The increased sales activity in the $2 to $4 million price bracket for standard residential property has been occurring since 2014.
There is generally strong demand for Federation style dwellings which have been renovated to a very good standard and offer the owner a high quality of fitout that is also appealing to the holiday market.
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Evidence of first home buyers wanting to make quick equity can be seen in suburbs such as Ocean Shores within the price-points of $750,000 to $850,000. Other strategies for first home owners have been trending in the purchase of land, where dual occupancy is created, divided and sold.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/10/8/ocean%20shores%20.jpg" alt="">
An example is a Ocean SHores three bedroom house which has been listed for $770,000 (pictured above). 
Nestled on a 921sqm block, the house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-ocean+shores-127957602" target="_blank">7 Rajah Road</a> include three bedrooms, renovated family bathroom, three spacious living areas and covered outdoor areas.
It's within walking distance to cafes, restaurants and Brunswick Heads.
Upgraders who want to stay put but need more space for a growing family are taking advantage of creating detached granny flats. This extra space caters for older kids who may still be at home saving for a deposit of their own, or for an ageing relative.
The buy-in price points for homes with upgrade potential in the below mentioned suburbs are as follows:
• OceanShores- $750,000 to $850,000
• ByronBay- $1million to $1.5million
• LennoxHead- $800,000 to $950,000
The suburban infrastructure that helps drive construction within these established areas include the proximity to local airports (both the Ballina/ Byron Bay Gateway Airport and the Gold Coast Airport). This has seen an increase in interstate buyers taking advantage of the versatility of living locally and in either Sydney or Melbourne to cater for their fly-in, fly-out occupations.
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Home renovation and new construction in established areas do have some guidelines and limitations. The biggest limitation we see home buyers face in the Byron Shire is the restriction on secondary dwelling sizes. Where there are dual occupancies on one title in one line, the secondary dwelling must not exceed a total floor area of 60 square metres.
There are changes in the town planning process that are encouraging new construction. The biggest change is seen in the reduced minimum lot sizes. Vacant land was once sold with an average land area of 700 to 800 square metres, however with each new estate that has been developed, we have seen a reduction to 450 to 500 square metre blocks being sold.
The market of home renovation and new construction within the Byron Shire may track a little differently in the future. The cost of building is rising at such a rate that it may have an effect on those speculating to be a part of this market.
"Even now we are seeing vacant land blocks within new estates being resold at a much higher price-point, which may affect the home buyer’s decision about what they can afford to build," the report said.
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Ballina Shire residential market remained steady through 2018: HTW residential 

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House prices will keep falling in the first half of 2019 before turning around and growing modestly, resulting in annual growth of about 1% over the year to December 2019, according to the latest Domain forecasts.
Domain predict house price growth will increase to 4% over the year to December 2020.
Overall this is a predicted fall of 7% from the 2017 price peak of $820,000 to a low of about $760,000 in mid-2019. At this low point, Australian house prices will be back at their 2016 levels.
Domain Economist, Trent Wiltshire said: "leading indicators of prices, such as low clearance rates, falling home loan approvals and a rising stock of listings suggest prices will continue to fall in the months ahead, with Australian house prices expected to fall by about 6% over the year to December 2018."
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/AUS%20forecast.JPG" alt="">
Source: Domain 
Australian unit prices are anticipated to grow by 2% in 2019 and 3% in 2020.
Unit prices are expected to bottom out in early 2019 after falling by 3% over the year to December 2018.
They are predicted to fall by approximately 5% from their peak of $568,000 in June 2017.
At this low point of about $540,000, unit prices will be back at their late 2016 level.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/29/AUS%20forecast%202.JPG" alt="">
Source: Domain 
"We expect unit prices to be more resilient than house prices for two main reasons," Wiltshire said.
"First, there was a smaller run-up in unit prices in the boom period, so there is less market ‘froth’ to dissipate over the 2017-2019 period.
"Second, state government stamp duty concessions will hold up unit prices, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne."
Solid population growth, low unemployment and low interest rates will underpin Australian property price growth in the medium term.
More restrictive lending conditions will continue to weigh on prices in the immediate future.
"Eventually, borrowers will begin to adjust to this new normal (including having a better understanding of how much they can borrow and how long it takes to secure a loan) and lending will begin to grow again, although at a modest pace," Wiltshire said. 
Click <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/11/30/Domain%20forecasts%201.JPG" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/30/Domain%20forecasts%201.JPG" alt="">
Click <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/11/30/Domain%20forecasts%202.JPG" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/30/Domain%20forecasts%202.JPG" alt="">
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Australian house prices to bounce back in 2019 and 2020: Domain

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Massive though it is, the property market isn’t a monolith – it’s a seething mass of individuals all trying to make their mark and make money from one of the most talked about assets there is.  
And whether you want to get into the property market, hate the property market or are already up to your neck in it, you’ll know that any notable movement in the market can cause a major shakeout and affect the rest of the economy.
As part of the annual Boom &amp; Bust Report for 2019, SQM Research will present a list of the real movers and shakers in the Australian housing market. 
These Top Ten people listed can impact either the demand for or supply of property or direction and sentiment in the market.  
These are the people we at SQM listen very closely to.
These influential individuals who have moved housing prices in 2018 and may well move them again in 2019 are listed below.  In our 2019 Boom &amp; Bust Report we will cover off what they could do next and how it will impact the property market. 
The Top Ten List:
10. Mark Steinert - Stockland CEO
9. Bill Shorten - Opposition Leader
8. Daniel Andrews- Premier of Victoria
7. Gladys Berejiklian - Premier of NSW
6. Donald Trump - US President
5. Scott Morrison - Prime Minister
4. Brian Hartzer - Westpac Bank CEO
3. Matt Comyn - Commonwealth Bank Australia CEO
2. Wayne Byres - APRA Chairman
1. Dr Philip Lowe - Reserve Bank of Australia
Louis Christopher is the <a href="http://sqmresearch.com.au/about-us.php" target="_blank">managing director at SQM Research.</a>
 
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The 10 people most likely to shape property prices: Louis Christopher

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Australian capital city home prices have fallen for 12 months in a row and are down 4% from their peak.
Most of the weakness relates to the previous boom time cities of Sydney and Melbourne but prices are continuing to fall in Perth and Darwin.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/10/18/OLIVER%20G1.JPG" alt="">
This begs the questions: how far will prices drop? and what will it mean for the broader economy?
 High prices and high debt – how did it come to this? 
Real house prices started to surge in the mid-1990s. This has led to them being expensive relative to income, rents, their long-term trend and by global standards. On our valuation measures prices are around 30% overvalued. The boom since the mid-1990s has rolled through different cities at different times, eg, starting in Sydney &amp; Melbourne, then Perth, then Sydney &amp; Melbourne again more recently. 
As a result, affordability is poor and while interest rates may be low it’s become hard to save for a sufficient deposit.
The surge in home prices has gone hand in hand with a surge in household debt. See the next chart. This has taken the household debt to income ratio from the low end of OECD countries to the top end. The shift to overvaluation and high debt mostly occurred over the 1995-2005 period.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/10/18/OLIVER%20G2.JPG" alt="">
It’s popular to blame negative gearing, the capital gains tax discount and foreign buying for high home prices and debt. However, the basic drivers are a combination of the shift from high to low interest rates over the last 20-30 years boosting borrowing power, along with a surge in population growth from mid-last decade and the inadequacy of a supply response (thanks to tight development controls and lagging infrastructure) to suppress the resultant rise in the ratio of prices to incomes.
Since 2006, annual population growth has averaged about 150,000 above what it was over the decade to the mid-2000s, which required roughly an extra 50,000 new homes per year, but dwelling completions have only recently caught up.
The tide has turned – expect more price falls
However, starting about a year ago it seems the tide has turned against property prices reflecting a range of factors.
Poor affordability - which has reduced the pool of buyers. 
A tightening in bank lending standards under pressure from regulators - particularly around tougher income and expense verification and total debt to income limits for borrowers. The latter will particularly impact cities like Sydney and Melbourne which have high price to income ratios necessitating high debt to income ratios. It will also impact property investors with multiple properties (with around 1.5 million properties held by investors with multiple properties) with banks cracking down on lending to such investors. This is all making it harder to get housing loans. 
A significant pool of interest only borrowers are scheduled to switch to principal and interest over the next few years resulting in a sharp rise in total debt servicing costs. 
Banks withdrawing from lending to Self-Managed Super Funds – reducing the pool of property investors. 
A cutback in foreign demand, partly due to Australian authorities making it more difficult. Chinese investment into Australian real estate has fallen by roughly 70% since 2015.
Rising unit supply – as the ongoing surge in unit construction completes and hits the market with Sydney and Melbourne most at risk. This risk is highlighted by Australia’s residential crane count of 528 cranes being way above the total crane count (ie residential and non-residential) in the US of 300 and Canada of 123! 
Out of cycle bank mortgage rate increases may also be playing a role – although a minor one as the moves have been small, mortgage rates remain near record lows and some banks have cut rates for new borrowers. • Falling price growth expectations in response to falling prices risks resulting in a negative feedback loop for prices – as the FOMO (fear of missing out) phenomenon of up until a year ago risks turning into FONGO (fear of not getting out), particularly for investors as they realise they are only getting very low returns from net rental yields of around 1-2%.
Expectations that negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions will be made less favourable if there is a change of government are likely also impacting and have the potential to become a major drag on prices. On their own some of these are not significant, but together they risk creating a perfect storm for the property market.
Home price outlook
For some time, we have been expecting top to bottom falls in Sydney and Melbourne prices of 15% spread out to 2020, implying price declines around 5% per annum. However, the risks are starting to skew to the downside – particularly around tighter credit and falling capital growth expectations made worse by fears of a change in tax arrangements.
Auction clearances in recent weeks have been running around levels roughly consistent with 7-8% pa price declines.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/10/18/OLIVER%20G3.JPG" alt="">
As such we are now allowing for a 20% decline in prices in these cities, again spread out to 2020, which would take average prices back to first half 2015 levels.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/10/18/OLIVER%20G4.JPG" alt="">
By contrast home prices in Perth and Darwin are either at or close to the bottom having fallen back to levels seen more than a decade ago, and prices are likely to perform a lot better in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra and Hobart along with regional centres as they have not seen anything like the boom in Sydney and Melbourne. But they will see some impact from tighter credit.
Overall, we now expect national average prices to fall nearly 10% out to 2020 which is a downgrade from our previous expectation for a 5% national average fall.
 A crash is a risk but remains unlikely
With prices now falling naturally the calls for a property crash are getting a lot of airing. But these have been wheeled out endlessly over the last 15 years or so. Our assessment remains that a crash (say a 20% or more fall in national average prices) is unlikely unless we see much higher interest rates or unemployment (neither of which are expected) or a continuation of recent high construction for several years (which is unlikely as approvals are falling) and a collapse in immigration.
Strong population growth is continuing to drive strong underlying demand for housing. While mortgage stress is a risk, it tends to be overstated: there has been a sharp reduction in interest only loans already; debt servicing payments as a share of income have actually fallen slightly over the last decade; a significant number of households are ahead on their repayments; and banks’ non-performing loans remain low.
Finally, while Sydney and Melbourne are at risk other cities have not seen the same boom and so are less vulnerable. However, the risk of a crash cannot be ignored given the danger that banks may overreact and become too tight and that investors decide to exit in the face of falling returns, low yields and possible changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax.
 The property cycle and the economy
The downturn in the housing cycle will affect the broader economy via slowing dwelling construction, negative wealth effects on consumer spending, less demand for household goods and via the banks as credit growth slows and if mortgage defaults rise.
This will provide an offset to strong growth in infrastructure spending and solid growth in business investment and will constrain economic growth to around 2.5-3% which in turn will keep wages growth and inflation low.
All of which is consistent with our view that the RBA won’t be raising rates until 2020 at the earliest and given the downside risks related to house prices it may have to cut rates. Housing weakness will also continue to constrain bank share returns.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/10/18/OLIVER%20G5.JPG" alt="">
Implications for investors
Over the very long-term, residential property adjusted for costs has similar returns to Australian shares. So, there is a role for it in investors’ portfolios. However, now remains a time for caution regarding housing as an investment destination – particularly in Sydney and Melbourne where it remains expensive, prices are likely to fall further &amp; it offers very low rental yields. Best to look at other cities and regional areas that offer much better value.
Dr Shane Oliver                                                                              Head of Investment Strategy and Chief Economist AMP Capital
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Boom turns to bust - some home prices now set to fall up to 20 percent: Shane Oliver

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Spring fever in the ACT residential housing market is hitting, according to the lastest Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report.
The housing market in the ACT is somewhat driven by seasons as the winters are historically harsh. When winter begins, cold temperatures cause buyers to lose inspection motivation and as a result, sellers feel less inclined to list their properties.
The transition from winter to spring always occurs quickly in the ACT, with temperatures going from cold to warm in a short period of time.
"Once spring begins and the weather becomes warmer, buyers are motivated to inspect properties and the cycle picks up. The warm weather and blossoming of plants increases the marketability of properties. Houses generally look more spectacular and inviting to buyers," noted by the valuer. 
The spring cycle is typically short and usually begins in late August and stretches to November/early December. Given the employment profile of the ACT, December and January are quiet in the property market given that many employees choose this as the best time to take time off work, which results in lower market activity.
Overall housing market activity throughout winter 2018 has been steady to strong, which is expected to continue into the spring and summer.
A recent sale was a Forde four bedroom house situated at the base of Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve.
The single level residence at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-act-forde-129061242" target="_blank"> 99 Blizzard Circuit</a> was sold at $745,000 on September 5 (picture above).
Built in 2012, the house comes with four bedrooms, multiple living areas, kitchen and established gardens.
It is close to Forde local schooling and shops. 
The valuation firm suggests that units in Canberra generally follow a different pattern to the housing market. Units usually don’t have as many marketable features that have an advantage in spring over winter.
The ACT still has an underlying problem with unit supply, so it is hard to judge the market activity increase from winter to spring.
Overall market activity over winter has been on a slight decline owing to the construction of multiple new residential complexes, which is expected to continue into the spring and summer.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/9/6/franklyn%20.jpg" alt="">
A Franklin two bedroom apartment has been recently sold for $401,000 (pictured above).
Situated opposite parkland, the northeast oriented apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-act-franklin-129048134" target="_blank">93/329 Flemington Road</a> comes with two bedrooms, open plan living and meals area, well-designed kitchen and large secure rear courtyard.
Additional features include the reverse cycle split system, family size laundry and linen cupboard to hallway.
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