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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GUEST OBSERVER
The housing market is certainly patchy across the nation, however it was encouraging to see some of the resource states seeing a decent lift in prices over October.
In addition prices fell in just two of the eight capital cities. Policymakers would be encouraged about more balanced home price growth across the nation but it would take a few more months to feel comfortable, and they would need to see a lift in regional house prices. Annual growth in home prices across regional centres was just 1.1 percent over the past 12 months.
What is clear is that prices are still rising in the strong markets of Sydney and Melbourne. In fact annual growth in Sydney home prices remains just shy of 11 percent and growth remains close to 10 percent in Melbourne.
<a href="/images/2016/11/01/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-01%20at%201.14.17%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/01/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-01%20at%201.14.17%20PM.png" alt="">
Still, given the amount of new homes being built at present in Sydney and Melbourne, national home prices may slow over the coming year.
The latest home price data doesn’t stand in the way of the Reserve Bank cutting rates over the next couple of months. The Reserve Bank has regularly noted that housing supply will lift over coming years as work is completed on the bevy of new homes – especially apartments. On balance inflation will be more of a deciding factor when it comes to debating the merits of another rate cut.
The latest Australian manufacturing data is encouraging, suggesting that the current levels of interest rates and the Australian dollar are working in favour of domestic producers. No doubt the sector is also benefitting from the stronger demand now that Brexit and the Federal Election are out of the way. 
What do the figures show?
Home prices
The CoreLogic Home Value Index of capital city home prices rose by 0.5 percent in October and was up 7.5 percent over the year.
In regional Australia, house prices rose by 0.9 percent in September and were just 1.1 percent higher than a year ago. (regional prices cover just houses and data is up to the end of September).
In capital cities, house prices rose by 0.5 percent in October while apartment prices rose by 0.6 percent. House prices were up 7.7 percent on a year ago and apartments were up by 6.3 percent.
The average Australian capital city house price (median price based on settled sales over quarter) was $615,000 and the average unit price was $520,000.
Dwelling prices rose in six of the eight capital cities in October: Darwin (up 2.2 percent) followed by Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane (all up 0.8 percent); Sydney (up 0.6 percent); and Canberra (up 0.4 percent). Prices fell most in Adelaide (down 2.4 percent), followed by Hobart (down 2.1 percent).
<a href="/images/2016/11/01/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-01%20at%201.14.24%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/01/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-01%20at%201.14.24%20PM.png" alt="">
Home prices were higher than a year ago in six of the eight capital cities. Prices rose most in Sydney (up 10.6 percent); followed by Melbourne (up 9.1 percent), Canberra (up 7.9 percent); Hobart (up 5.0 percent); Brisbane (up 4.1 percent) and Adelaide (up 2.5 percent). Prices fell in Darwin (down 3.8 percent) and Perth (down by 3.7 percent).
Total returns on capital city dwellings in the year to October rose by 11.2 percent with houses up 11.3 percent on a year earlier and units up 10.9 percent.
Performance of Manufacturing
The Performance of Manufacturing index rose by 1.1 points to 50.9 in October. A reading above 50.0 indicates that the sector is expanding. The index had been above 50 for 13 months up until August 2016 – the longest period of expansion since September 2006.
AIG notes “The rise was driven by stronger growth in exports, sales and new orders, which highlights the growing importance of exports to manufacturers and suggests further growth ahead.”
What is the importance of the economic data?
The CoreLogic Hedonic Australian Home Value Index is based on Australia’s biggest property database. Unlike the ABS Index, which excludes terraces, semi-detached homes and apartments, the CoreLogic Hedonic Index includes all properties. Home prices are an important driver of wealth and spending.
The Australian Industry Group compiles the Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) each month. The Australian PMI is the Australian equivalent of the US ISM manufacturing gauge. The PMI is one of the timeliest economic indicators released in Australia. The PMI is useful not just in showing how the manufacturing sector is performing but in providing some sense about where it is heading. The key ‘forward looking’ components are orders and employment.
What are the implications for interest rates and investors?
Latest data shows that the Australian economy remains in good shape.  
The transition from manufacturing to services in China is proceeding well. The manufacturing sector is tracking sideways while the services sector is taking up the slack and expanding nicely. A case of so far, so good. 
Savanth Sebastian is an economist for <a href="https://www.commsec.com.au/" target="_blank">CommSec</a> </div>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Resource states seeing healthier home prices: CommSec's Savanth Sebastian

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Bruce takes the spot as ACT's slowest selling suburb, according to Investar's latest report.
The property advisory firm says that a one bedroom unit in Bruce can take up to 337 days to sell with a median price of $299,000.
An example would be a one bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-act-bruce-120057033" target="_blank">87/8 Baudinette Circuit </a>(above) that was recently sold for $322,000.
Similarly a one bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-act-bruce-120734701" target="_blank">66/8 Baudinette Circuit </a>(below) was recently sold for $320,000.
<img src="/images/2016/09/27/668%20Baudinette%20Circuit.jpg" alt="">
A three bedroom unit with a median price of $419,000 at Bruce takes second place on the list taking up to 309 days to sell.
Suburb   Type                        Beds   Days to sell    Median    Year growth
BRUCE    Unit &amp; Studio           1        337               $299,000  -5.08%
BRUCE    Unit                        3        309               $419,000  -5.85%
BELCONNEN  Unit &amp; Studio     1        296               $345,000  7.81%
BARTON   Unit                       2        258               $610,000  -3.03%
LYNEHAM Unit &amp; Studio          1        254               $331,500  -7.92%
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Bruce is ACT's slowest apartment market: Investar

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The average vendor discount required to secure a private treaty sale in Sydney has risen from 4.5% to 4.6%, according to CoreLogic’s latest weekly report.
But the average house in Sydney can be expected to be on the market for 27 days compared to 28 days a week ago.
At the other end of the spectrum, the city where properties can expect to be on the market for some time is Darwin.
A home in the NT capital can expect to be on the market for 107 days, while a vendor will typically have to wait 112 days to sell a unit and discount by 10.8% to secure the sale.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2016/10/25/Capital%20city%20median%20time.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2016/10/25/Capital%20city%20median%20time.jpg" alt="">
Source: CoreLogic
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Sydney private treaty homes selling in 27 days: CoreLogic

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With Queensland's Sunshine Coast expected to overtake the Gold Coast’s in property market growth, investors are being urged to spend cautiously.
“The trend suggests the Gold Coast is winding down – it surged throughout 2015 and the early part of 2016, but the number of growth suburbs has dropped from 25 six months ago to 20 three months ago to 14 now,” the latest Terry Ryder Price Predictor suggests.
“We continue to urge caution about the Gold Coast high-rise apartment markets because of the alarming history of boom-bust scenarios, poor capital growth record and looming prospect of oversupply.”
The report suggested investors should head for the hills.
The report predicts prices in Upper Coomera and Nerang will rise faster than in beachfront suburbs, based on trends in sales volumes.
Ryder told The Gold Coast Bulletin that the Gold Coast was a “tale of two cities”.
“(It’s) the high-rise suburbs and genuine residential suburbs,” the report states.
“We urge investors to avoid the former and concentrate on the latter.
“Many of the inland housing areas of the Gold Coast have strongly-growing markets and will deliver price growth.
"Our Top 30 list includes Ashmore, Carrara, Highland Park, Nerang and Upper Coomera.”
REIQ Gold Coast zone chairman John Newlands agreed Ashmore, Carrara, Highland Park, Nerang and Upper Coomera still offered affordable housing noting buyers can secure a house for $450,000 to $550,000
But Newlands was surprised by the predicted trend on the beachfront prediction.
“I really do feel that the Gold Coast is growing,” Mr Newlands said.
“We rely heavily on tourism and hospitality but we also have construction and manufacturing to the west of the Coast. Tourism is growing and we’ve also broken into the healthy industry.”
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Terry Ryder urges caution on Gold Coast highrise

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<div>SQM Research reported that year-on-year vacancy rates are slightly higher.</div>
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<div>Sydney and Melbourne reported vacancy rates of 1.8 percent and 2 percent respectively.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In Brisbane, where there is still a significant pipeline of inner city apartments set to hit the market, vacancy rates are 2.9 percent. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Perth's vacancy rate was steady from the previous month at 5 percent, while the Darwin market appears to be have steadily improved with vacancy rates at 3.1 percent. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The tightest markets are Hobart (0.6 percent) and Canberra (1.1 percent), and asking rents have increased accordingly in these cities. </div>
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<div><a href="/images/2016/10/19/SQM1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
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<div>Smoothing the data shows that over the past year vacancy rates have been relatively flat in Sydney and Melbourne, but vacancies have generally been elevated in the resources states. </div>
 <div class="separator"><a href="/images/2016/10/19/SQM2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
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<div>This has been reflected in soft rents in Perth and Darwin.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Despite the apartments pipeline asking rents for units are higher year-on-year in each of the three most populous cities, particularly in Sydney (+4.4 per cent) and Melbourne (+5.1 per cent) as the new stock comes online. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Concluded SQM Research:</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"Looking forward, vacancies are likely to rise in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney over 2017 as more new high-rise apartment developments come onto the market. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>However, we maintain that the oversupply issue appears to be constrained to concentrated areas such as the inner-city regions. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>We are not as confident we will see a contagion affect where the whole capital city market is affected."</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
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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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Vacancies up slightly year-on-year: Pete Wargent

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Commercial property investment volumes in Australia surged 32 percent to $9 billion in Q3 on a quarterly basis – the strongest third quarter of the year since 2014, says a new Cushman and Wakefield’s update on investment in the sector. 
Unlike in Q2, where the market was driven by a comparatively small number of larger deals, activity in Q3 was skewed back towards the lower end of the spectrum with average deal size at $47 million. However, this is not to say there were not significant transactions – nearly one-third of the quarterly volume came from deals above $200 million, says according to the Investment MarketBeat Q3. 
Much of the liquidity was provided by A-REITs divesting of non-core stock (Figure 1).
<a href="/images/2016/10/14/Investoractivity.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
 <img src="/images/2016/10/14/Investoractivity.png" alt="">
Most of the big-ticket deals were transacted in Sydney and Melbourne. (Table 1)
<a href="/images/2016/10/14/BigDeals.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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Available stock in the office sector remains comparatively tight, resulting in below average investment volumes. In light of weaker investment in the office sector, other sectors performed more strongly to drive the quarterly result. At $1.8 billion, the industrial sector recorded the strongest quarterly result since Q3 2014. The retail sector was also buoyant with over 70 transactions recorded for the quarter, resulting in total investment volume of $2.2 billion.
Foreign investment also rebounded strongly in Q3 2016 to $4.9 billion, from the $2 billion invested in Q2. Asia Pacific investors dominated the quarter, with China-based entities and Singapore-based entities accounting for $1.7 billion and $1.3 billion respectively. International investors, those with a global platform, rounded out third place with a further $1.2 billion, following the $1.5 billion invested last quarter.
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<img src="/images/2016/10/14/Foreigninvestors1.png" alt=""> 
The investment market has been somewhat erratic over 2016 so far with regard to the number of deals and average deal size. Notwithstanding this, investment volume in 2016 is currently matching that at this stage in 2015. For volume to remain flat by the year’s end, though, $9.5 billion of investment is required in Q4.
Office yields contracted further in Q3, especially in Sydney which together with strong rental growth drove capital value growth of 33 percent over the past 12 months. Although yields are approaching historical lows across many markets, compared to fixed interest investments and many offshore commercial property markets, Australian commercial real estate remains attractive. In the current lower-for- longer environment, this allows potential for further modest compression. 
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Investment in commercial property surges 32 percent in Q3: Cushman & Wakefield

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Residential real estate wealth has reached $6.7 trillion, according to CoreLogic.
This is followed by Australian superannuation worth $2.1 trillion, Australian listed stocks worth $1.7 trillion and finally commercial real estate reaching $0.88 trillion.
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Capital gain has slowed compared to September 2010 when it was at its peak, however it is still remaining strong with capital gain from dwelling at seven percent. The median price for homes is at $600,000 while for units it is $510,000.
<a href="/images/2016/10/07/The%20annual%20rate%20of%20capital%20gain%20has%20slowed%20from%20its%20peak%20but%20remains%20quite%20strong.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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Darwin and Perth continue to experience a decline in capital gain while other capital cities continue to grow. Darwin has declined by six percent while Perth has declined by seven percent.
<a href="/images/2016/10/07/Values%20continue%20to%20fall%20in%20Perth%20and%20Darwin%20on%20an%20annual%20basis%20whilst%20growth%20is%20picking-up%20in%20a%20number%20of%20other%20capital%20cities.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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Residential real estate reaches $6.7 billion while capital gain remain strong: CoreLogic

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/66572/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Those looking to get a piece of the Australian dream of buying a home are still falling victim to the shadow property market of rent-to-buy deals, a new report shows.
In a typical rent-to-buy deal, the buyer agrees to an inflated property price, then pays market rent (or above), an “option fee” to buy the property in several years’ time, and in some cases a deposit and outgoings. The option fees are at least partly credited to the purchase price. The catch is that the buyer has to refinance with a mainstream lender to buy the home by the time the rent-to-buy deal expires. 
People who have signed up to rent-to-buy deals find it virtually impossible to refinance. The Consumer Action Law Centre has seen no examples of successful rent-to-buy deals. They are extremely risky financially and the legal protections for buyers are grossly inadequate.
In vendor finance schemes, the buyer agrees to an inflated property price, then pays a deposit, instalments, outgoings and, in some cases, their First Home Owner Grant. Vendor finance agreements are typically for between two and 30 years. However, the buyer will often need to refinance within several years and will face the same obstacles as in rent-to-buy deals.
The Consumer Action Law Centre report, Fringe Dwellings: The vendor finance and rent-to-buy housing black market, collected and published 10 case studies from Victoria and beyond. The studies detail the experiences of people across Australia who have bought into these schemes. There are some striking similarities between these cases.
The sales pitch is the same – “Own a home quickly and easily”, “Buy without a bank!”, “Tell the landlord to shove it!” and so on. The dream of home ownership is a very easy sell, especially to someone who thought it was out of their reach.
There are many examples of failed vendor finance deals. Many buyers have paid significant amounts towards what they hope will be their home, only to find they cannot complete the purchase and will lose everything.
The people who fall victim to these schemes don’t have the income, savings or credit history to get a mortgage. Often the banks have said no and people are drawn in by someone who seems to understands their predicament and finally says yes. 
In most cases the deals were unaffordable from the beginning. The purchase price is well in excess of market value and the repayments are much higher than you’d see in a mainstream mortgage.
<h2>How people fall into the trap</h2>
Owning your own home is at the centre of the modern Australian dream. Yet this dream is increasingly out of reach of many as housing affordability worsens with rocketing property prices in our major cities. A report published earlier this year by the Australian Population Research Institute cited international research data ranking Sydney and Melbourne as second and fourth respectively among the most unaffordable locations in the world across the 86 major markets surveyed.
So it’s no wonder that people will go to extreme lengths, and are susceptible to the seductions of smooth-talking property spruikers, as they chase the dream of home ownership.
The legal framework is almost impossible for an individual to navigate without expert advice. In Victoria alone, there are nine pieces of state and federal legislation that can apply to rent-to-buy and/or vendor finance arrangements.
Although the various deals are sold to buyers in much the same way, it’s when they unravel that the complicated nature of the deals comes to light. This is essentially a black market, because it does not sit within established property markets or laws. 
<h2>How common is this in Australia?</h2>
Such schemes have a long history in Australia and elsewhere but have achieved somewhat of a renaissance with the rise of the people who promote these schemes. 
Unfortunately, it is difficult to identify how many people have entered into these sorts of schemes due to a lack of available data. Answers to questions in the census also do not provide this information. For the most part, therefore, these transactions are invisible.
As the property has not changed hands, there is no record on the title to the land and consumers rarely register caveats. However, the Consumer Action Law Centre and other legal services around Australia have assisted clients regarding these schemes in recent years. 
In addition to this, there is an unhealthy level of interest in getting involved in these schemes. Thousands of potential brokers have attended vendor finance and rent-to-buy promotions in Australia. We Buy Houses Pty Ltd, the biggest of the operators, had a turnover of $20 million between January 2011 and June 2014. The role that some lawyers play in the establishment of the schemes is another concern. 
<h2>What can be done?</h2>
These schemes operate in a legal twilight zone. The patchwork of state and federal laws does not adequately regulate these transactions. 
Depending on the structure of the particular transaction and the jurisdiction in which it occurs, some consumers may qualify for some legal protection while others simply fall through the cracks. Given the already onerous financial and emotional burdens incurred, consumers may recoil at the prospect of further expense and stress through engagement with the legal system. 
Obviously the best course is to discourage consumers from entering into these transactions in the first place, so more public awareness of the pitfalls is desirable. The reality is, however, that the tantalising prospect of home ownership will mean that many hopeful but vulnerable homebuyers will still enter into these transactions. Proactive legal intervention is necessary and urgent.
As suggested by the Consumer Action Law Centre, the most effective solution would be to prohibit such schemes. Their track record in Australia and elsewhere is poor. The only benefit flows to the broker. 
Failing this, property investment advice should be more tightly regulated. 
The Corporations Act and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act impose tight regulations upon other forms of financial advice and all of these transactions should be no exception. Also purveyors should be licensed under the national credit laws to ensure compliance with national standards and make sanctions available for non-compliance. 
These measures are essential to ensure that advice provided complies with existing regulation, that consumers are aware of the pitfalls of the schemes and that an especially vulnerable cohort of consumers is protected. 
Another concern is the coverage of existing national and state laws. It is ironic that, in many cases, these transactions do not fall under the national credit law, the cornerstone of responsible lending and protection from unjust contracts. 
State legislatures, which have carriage of real property laws, also have a role to play. Again, depending on the the structure of the transaction, laws could potentially overlap and yet other scenarios are not addressed at all. 
Finally, regulators should use consumer protection laws to pursue these schemes. These laws prohibit misleading or deceptive and unconscionable conduct – although proving these legal standards before a court can be onerous. 
The Consumer Action Law Centre’s suggestion of an extension of the provisions to include unfair trading – especially within the context of the ongoing review of the Australian Consumer Law – is timely.
These types of shonky schemes are not new and their shortcomings cannot be denied. The desire for a home means that many consumers will be vulnerable, especially in a time of declining home affordability and tighter credit. It seems we have reached a point where a national approach to the regulation of these transactions is not just desirable, but essential.
Eileen Webb is associate professor, Curtin Law School, Curtin University and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eileen-webb-95332" target="_blank">here</a>.
Allan Fels is professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/allan-fels-11872" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Eager homebuyers still falling victim to shadowy rent-to-buy deals

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Adelaide now has the No.1 growth market among the eight state and territory capital cities.
While the former boom markets in Sydney and Melbourne have faded dramatically in 2016 (notwithstanding the dodgy data on auction clearance rates, which flatter to deceive), and Brisbane has lost some of its momentum, Adelaide has maintained its very steady performance.
My latest survey of sales activity for The Price Predictor Index shows that Adelaide leads the capital cities on the number of growth markets for the second consecutive survey. It has more suburbs with rising sales activity than all other cities, ahead of Melbourne and Brisbane. Adelaide is attracting growing attention from investors for its affordability and the value for money it offers compared to the bigger cities. 
Using sales volumes as the yardstick, there are now very few growth markets left in Sydney. And my latest survey adds another element to the downturn story: there are now suburbs I have identified as “danger markets”, because of the pattern of sharp decline in the number of sales. These are primarily apartment markets, where sales levels are dropping at a time of increasing supply. This represents an obvious danger for buyers.
Brisbane has had elevated sales activity for the past 2-3 years, without delivering the level of overall price growth seen in Sydney and Melbourne. But now, like the two biggest cities, Brisbane markets are running out of steam. In the past three quarterly surveys, the number of suburbs with growing sales activity has decreased markedly. This replicates the pattern seen earlier in Sydney.
At the same time, some of the inner-city apartment suburbs are now classified as “danger markets” – sales rates are dropping at a time of increasing new supply. Investors need to be careful also about Brisbane Northside suburban markets, as vacancies are high in some suburbs.
But Adelaide continues to thrive. It started 2016 in solid fashion and has kept going.
Unlike the patterns we have seen recently in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, where individual precincts have stood out as the market leaders, Adelaide has a broad geographical spread of LGAs with good numbers of growth markets. There are five municipalities which each have between four and six suburbs with rising sales trajectories likely to lead to price growth.
The No.1 municipality is the Port Adelaide Enfield LGA. This is one of the largest municipalities in Adelaide, covering the inner north and north-west of the city. Six suburbs in this LGA have rising markets, mostly suburbs with median house prices in the range from $390,000 to $520,000, which in Adelaide tends towards “middle market”. They include Broadview, Northgate, Clearview and Hillcrest.
Close behind is the downmarket Salisbury LGA in the far north of metropolitan Adelaide – it has five rising suburbs and seven with steady consistent sales rates. The suburb of Parafield Gardens has lifted sales from 53 to 63 to 75 in the past three quarters.
The City of Charles Sturt remains one of Adelaide’s solid middle-market areas with plenty of sales activity. The Charles Sturt LGA includes bayside suburbs west of the Adelaide CBD and has rising markets such as Flinders Park (median house price $530,000), Grange ($680,000), Henley Beach South ($735,000) and Seaton ($470,000).
The Marion and Onkaparinga municipalities both have four suburbs with rising sales activity. The Onkaparinga LGA in the far south of the Greater Adelaide area has been prominent in most of our quarterly surveys over the past two years and is one of South Australia’s leading precincts for population growth.
I’ve always regarded the Adelaide Hills as one of Australia’s most appealing Hill Change lifestyle areas. But while the Adelaide market generally has been rising for the past two years, the Hills haven’t stood out in terms of sales activity until 2016.
It’s taken time for the growth to ripple out to the metropolitan fringes. But now a number of the suburbs in the Mount Barker and Adelaide Hills LGAs are featuring with strong sales momentum, headed by the suburb of Mount Barker where sales rates have risen from around 70 per quarter to above 100.
Adelaide has always suffered from a lingering reputation as a place that lacks serious population growth or economic oomph. But it has more going for it than people realise – including a good level of spending on infrastructure – and above all else offers great value-for-money in its real estate, relative to the bigger cities.
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

Adelaide claims top residential growth market

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A survey by Chinese international property portal Juwai.com has discovered how much international real estate professionals and agents really know about China and Chinese buyers, polling 1,402 international real estate professionals from 63 nations to find out.
According to Juwai international agents already working with Chinese buyers do have some basic knowledge of the country and can identify the Chinese flag (84 percent did so correctly) and the president’s face (75 percent did so), and they know that the US is the most popular country for Chinese buyers (67% were correct) .
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<img src="/images/2016/10/04/Screen%20Shot%202016-10-04%20at%202.32.47%20PM.png" alt="">
The survey said nearly 10 percent of respondents believe that the current leader of China is Kim Jong-un (who is actually the current dictator of N. Korea) or Mao Zedong (the founder of the People’s Republic of China, who died in 1976).
Juwai.com president of the Americas Matthew Moore said the overall correct answer rate was 48 percent, but in Canada it was only 50 percent.
"Canada did OK, but not that well considering it is a top five country for Chinese investment," he said.
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 "Real estate professionals in Cyprus, Turkey, France and Germany did better than those in Australia.   
“Australia was only the ninth-ranked country, in terms of the knowledge its international real estate professionals have about the Chinese buyers.   
 "That said, Australians did better than agents of other English-speaking countries, like New Zealand, the UK, the US and Canada.   
 "The countries that ranked best are located in Asia, of course. The second-best ranking countries were in Europe. English-language countries like Australia ranked third.   
“It's true that being able to recognize the Chinese flag might not make much of a difference when it comes to successfully working with Chinese buyers. But we find these simple questions are an indicator of whether real estate professionals have invested time and energy in learning about and building relationships with potential buyers from China.    
“Being able to understand and relate to the buyers that operate in your market is vitally important."
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