Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

Real Estate

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The repeal of the Valuers Act 2003 which will see the deregulation of the valuing industry in NSW is cause for concern.
Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Victor Dominello last week introduced a bill to repeal 30 laws including the Valuers Act 2003 which will see the deregulation of the valuing industry in NSW and will remove government controlled licences. 
If the government does not participate in the controls and oversight of the profession then the potential for detriment exists. 
We find it alarming that the government is on a constant campaign of delicensing. 
REINSW sees a role for the professional bodies working co-corporately with government for the oversight of compliance with the regulatory environment and the maintenance of professional standards.
While industry must be involved in the process of regulation, it alone should not be solely responsible. 
 
Malcolm Gunning is president of the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales and can be contacted <a href="https://www.reinsw.com.au/imis15_prod/">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Deregulation of valuing industry a concern: REINSW

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The Hodges estate agency has been named winner of the best website award by the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV).
Hodges attributed the win to their recent rebranding after a complete rebuild in 2015.
The site’s audience is predominantly mobile, so the design factored in tablets and smartphones. 
The go-digital approach resulted in a significant rise in hits to the website in the past 12 months, with 303,828 views so far in 2015.
“I am incredibly proud to be a part of Hodges leading the industry," Hodges CEO Carmel Baker said. 
In its 21st year, the REIV Awards considered more than 250 submissions, with Hodges in the top three finalists for the Communications Award, Best Website Award, and Residential Property Manager of the Year (Principals).
Under their new CEO Baker, Hodges expects to increase its franchise presence around the bay from Point Nepean to Queenscliff by 50 percent in the next 12 months.
Established in 1856, Hodges is one of Melbourne’s oldest real estate agencies.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Hodges scoops up best website award at REIV event

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GUEST OBSERVER
ABC’s Four Corners program highlighted concerns that Chinese criminal funds may be propping up Australia’s real estate market. Why is Australia’s anti-money laundering framework not providing sufficient comfort that these concerns are addressed?
The answer lies in both the scope of Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws, as well as the enforcement of these laws, especially in relation to proceeds of foreign offences.
The scope of the law
In the 1980s Australia became one of the first countries to adopt anti-money laundering laws. In 1989 it joined a small group of countries in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), taking the lead in identifying appropriate policing measures. FATF then developed into the international standard-setter for anti-money laundering measures, as well as counter-terrorism financing measures, a mandate added in 2001. It also assesses its members’ compliance with those standards, known as “recommendations”.
Businesses covered by these rules need to identify and verify the identities of their customers, assess and mitigate the money laundering and terrorist financing risks they pose and report suspicious transactions as well as certain large transactions. By doing that they protect themselves from committing money laundering offences and their industries from abuse by launderers.
Australia held FATF’s presidency in 1992-1993 and again in 2014-2015. However, its early start in adopting anti-money laundering laws and its leadership role in the FATF did not ensure a soft assessment regime for Australia. In 2005, FATF criticised Australia’s anti-money laundering and terrorism financing regime for lagging behind, especially in terms of the scope and enforcement of its laws. It was held to be fully compliant with only 12 recommendations and largely compliant with another 14 of the 49 recommendations that applied at that stage.
This spurred Australia to adopt the current Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act of 2006 (AML/CTF Act). This Act created a world-class framework in relation to financial institutions. But the overall framework was not complete. FATF’s standards apply to financial institutions as well as a number of so-called “designated non-financial businesses and professions”. This list includes casinos, lawyers, real estate agents, dealers in precious metals and stones, and trust and company service providers.
In 2006, with the exception of casinos and bullion dealers, these were set aside to be addressed in a second tranche of AML/CTF Act reforms. Despite various statements and government consultation, also in the context of the current statutory review of the AML/CTF Act, these reforms have not yet been effected.
Combined with the limited transparency of the beneficial ownership of companies and trusts, it leaves the property market vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist financing abuse.
The lack of enforcement of the existing criminal laws is, however, also a cause for concern.
Lack of enforcement
Australia has a well-developed set of statutory money laundering and terrorist financing offences, both at the federal and a state/territory level. At the federal level, for example, the Criminal Code creates offences that can be committed knowingly, recklessly and even negligently, for example when dealing with property which is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
The 2015 FATF assessment report of Australia found that money laundering offences involving proceeds of foreign offences, including corruption offences, are not frequently prosecuted “because Australia does not consider that foreign predicate offences are major predicates for money laundering in Australia.” (par 3.44). Predicate offences are offences generating the proceeds of crime to be laundered.
Authorities mentioned the difficulties of obtaining off-shore evidence to prove the foreign offence. But a lack of effective federal/state law enforcement coordination was found to pose a particular barrier, especially in relation to the property market:
For example, while ML (money laundering) of foreign illicit proceeds through real estate is perceived to be a risk for Queensland (Gold Coast), Queensland has no ML convictions for this activity. AFP (Australian Federal Police) indicated that it does not focus on this risk, believing this ML activity relates to State level predicates, whereas the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission stated it does not focus on this risk as it relates to foreign money and is thus a matter for AFP.
At the same time, assessors took note of two examples of successful prosecution for foreign predicates (fraud and corruption) by AFP and the registration of two restraint orders from Papua New Guinea in Queensland.(par 3.44)
The overall enforcement strategy therefore does not reflect a high level of concern about the abuse of the property market by those wishing to launder proceeds of foreign corruption.
Protecting the property market
Much can be done to increase the protection of the property market against criminal abuse. While the AML/CTF legal framework should be extended to all businesses and professions covered by the FATF standards, compliance and red tape concerns may continue to delay the second tranche of reforms. The best starting point would therefore be to work with the available legal tools and to prosecute money laundering offences involving designated non-financial businesses and professions and markets of concern, such as the property market. In relation to foreign corruption that will require close cooperation with foreign counterparts.
Increased prosecution will also provide improved evidence of the abuse that actually occurs and inform the debate on the urgency and nature of the law reforms that are required. However, Australia must also enhance the transparency of beneficial ownership of companies and trusts. If criminals find it more risky to purchase property in their own names, they will increasingly hide behind business structures. It is therefore important to improve public information regarding the control of companies and trusts.
It is also important to reflect on money laundering law enforcement priorities. Money laundering prosecutions levels increased over the past few years but corruption, especially foreign corruption, struggles to receive appropriate attention.
If Australia wants to hold an international integrity leadership position and improve its ranking on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, it will need to join its international counterparts by taking firm action against foreign corruption, including the laundering of the proceeds of foreign corruption.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louis-de-koker-100846" rel="author"></a>Louis de Koker is professor of law, Deakin University and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louis-de-koker-100846" target="_blank">here</a>.
 
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Much more can be done to keep foreign criminal funds out of Australian property

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Investors, self-managed super funds (SMSFs) and owner occupiers are dominating commercial property in the $1 million to $3 million price bracket, largely thanks to the RBA slashing interest rates to a record low of 2%. This is creating significant interest in the sale of commercial properties with long leases and solid tenants.
What’s more, the falling Australian dollar means Australian property markets are also increasingly attractive to international investors. However on the domestic front we have seen small to medium enterprises (SMEs) sitting on their hands, as they delay a decision to upgrade to larger or newer commercial premises. Still, with the significant spike in residential house prices, some SMEs are now starting to branch out and use this asset growth as collateral to fund new business and commercial ventures.
The other big factor driving some of our commercial property markets is infrastructure investment, with billions of dollars committed to developments such as Barangaroo in the Sydney CBD, while the prospect of a light rail service for busy Cleveland Street is another major plus. In greater Sydney, the Badgerys Creek airport project is translating into increased commercial interest from St Marys down to Camden, while the North West Rail Link and the North Connex and West Connex road projects are also spurring commercial activity.
In regional Queensland, the massive recent infrastructure injection, courtesy of the Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport, has already seen a number of large commercial developments spring up on the western side of Toowoomba, attracting enquiries from businesses considering a relocation from Brisbane. Further north, and the ongoing Inpex LNG project at Blaydin Point in Darwin is expected to propel commercial interest for some years to come.
At Raine &amp; Horne Commercial, we’ve also taken the opportunity to expand our network coverage to Queensland’s Sunshine and Gold Coasts, with the recruitment of businesses from a rival network. The opening of Raine &amp; Horne Commercial Sunshine Coast is timely as the property market in Queensland is starting to show the form that we’ve come to expect from the southern states. Meanwhile, Raine &amp; Horne Commercial Gold Coast has entered a market that is picking up for the first time since the Global Financial Crisis, with the completion of the Gold Coast Light Rail and Commonwealth Games infrastructure buoying business confidenc
Raine &amp; Horne’s growth hasn’t stopped there either, with our international expansion now taking in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, which has emerged as a leading regional commercial hub with state-of-the art infrastructure and a world-class business environment. Our Raine &amp; Horne Dubai operation is located in Business Bay, which will have upwards of 240 new commercial and residential buildings completed in the next few years.
On a personal note, I’ve also recently exclusively taken on the role of Executive Chairman, in which capacity I’ll be concentrating on further expanding the business in Australia and overseas. 
Angus Raine is Executive Chairman, <a href="https://www.raineandhorne.com.au" target="_blank">Raine &amp; Horne</a>.
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araine-ovWsRAh4A7

Billions driving infrastructure development: Angus Raine

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A Queensland real estate agency has been compensated after a former star salesman resigned to join a rival company and caught poaching clients and stealing confidential information.
NB Lawyers director, Jonathan Mamaril, said the matter was settled out of court.
He suggested the matter highlighted the need for estate agencies to have carefully drafted employment contracts in place for staff.
There was also a need for policies directing employees about the specific use and handling of confidential information.
Mr Mamaril said the issue was particularly pertinent to the real estate sector where there was a great deal of movement of staff between companies and confidential client databases were crucial to the business.
“A high performing salesperson resigned from their position and went to a direct competitor of our client the very next day,” he said.
“The former employee took specific client details and confidential information belonging to their former employer with the intent to provide this to his new employer.
“The former employee provided a particular client to their new employer which was at the value of $14,000 in commission. 
"However of greater importance to our client was the potential poaching of further clients with the confidential information the former employee had in their position.”
Mr Mamaril said in this case there was an employment contract in place with a reasonable restraint of trade clause which allowed NB Lawyers to draft a letter to the former employee and their new employer in relation to the breach of employment contract.
“After some negotiation the outcome was our client received a signed undertaking from the former employee that they would not use any further confidential information and the firm was compensated for the lost commission,” he said.
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Lost commission compensation after Queensland salesperson departure dispute

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Almost 100% of the market analysis and media focus in real estate is devoted to the capital cities. But in two major states the regional markets are outperforming their capital cities.
And they’re not just any old cities that are being outdone by their country cousins. Sydney is one of them, which will amaze many people, and Brisbane is the other one.
I explained in a recent column why Sydney has passed its peak and is slowly losing its heat. You won’t be reading about it in mainstream media because journalists lack expertise and are reliant on press releases from research companies. And those research companies base their market analysis on median price movements. And median prices are six months behind the market.
The real story of markets is told by sales volumes. And sales activity has been gradually falling across metropolitan Sydney – to the extent that I count just 36 growth suburbs (compared to 114 six months ago).
Regional New South Wales has almost double the number of growth markets of Sydney. The momentum that started with regional areas close to the state capital – like Wollongong and Gosford – has spread throughout the state.
The Gosford LGA remains the most buoyant regional NSW market, followed by nearby Wyong. The Newcastle region – where the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock and Port Stephens LGAs all have multiple growth suburbs – is also on a positive trajectory.
The Southern Highlands market has more recently sprung to life, with Moss Vale, Bowral and Mittagong all looking strong.
Further afield in NSW, Port Macquarie looks really good and the Tweed region at the Queensland border is joining the growth party. At the opposite end of the state, the twin cities of Albury and Wodonga on either side of the Victoria border are attracting growing attention from investors.
Dubbo continues to be one of the strongest regional economies in the state and the nation, while Goulburn and Orange also look good.
Everywhere I look in New South Wales there are markets percolating, without (with the exception of Gosford) having delivered price growth of Sydney proportions.
Brisbane is still producing plenty of growth markets, although the limelight has switched from the north to the south. While the Brisbane City Northside precinct was the first to burst into life with elevated activity and good price growth in 2014, the leading markets are now Brisbane City Southside and, a little further south, Logan City.
But there busy markets across Brisbane, with upwardly-mobile suburbs springing up in the Redland, Ipswich and Moreton Bay LGAs around the periphery of the metropolitan area.
And regional Queensland is matching the Greater Brisbane area for the number of growth locations. The regional action is headed by the Gold Coast, which continues to gather momentum and has now overtaken Logan City to be the No.1 LGA in Australia, in terms of the number of growth suburbs.
Fortunately, most of the growth markets in Gold Coast City are genuine residential markets – i.e. inland housing markets, rather than the high-rise precincts along the glitter strip. Let’s hope that’s where investors focus their attention, because the new mega towers will return the Gold Coast to its grand tradition of apartment over-supply.
The Sunshine Coast, which continues to progress as a more well-rounded regional city, is the next biggest growth market, while resurgent Cairns is still featuring strongly. 
But there’s a new contender – the Fraser Coast region based on Hervey Bay is now producing more growth suburbs than Cairns and almost as many as the Sunshine Coast. Townsville is slowly spluttering back to life.
Toowoomba, which was the first regional city in Queensland to get on a growth path, looks to have had its run. This is demonstrated by the high number of “plateau” markets among the Toowoomba suburbs. The big infrastructure investment happening in and around the city should keep its market solid, but sales activity has undoubtedly tapered off in Toowoomba.
No other states have regional markets as prominent as NSW and Queensland, although there are good possibilities for investors in Victoria and Western Australia – but that’s another story.
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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Capital cities outdone by country cousins: Terry Ryder

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An international expression of interest has opened for the development of Western Australia's Rottnest Island resort and marina -  a 2.8Ha resort site with 350 metre water frontage.
The project will eventually include a 250 berth marina opposite the resort and, once built, will be the first &amp; only formal marina complex on the Island
Expressions of interest are being held through CBRE and close Friday, 18th September at 2pm.
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EOI opened for Rottnest Island resort, marina development

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CoreLogic RP Data's Housing Market and Economic Update for August 2015 has found residential real estate accounts for more than half of all household wealth.
Residential land and housing investments make up 50.8% of wealth, with superannuation at 22.4%
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Residential real estate accounts for more than half of all household wealth: CoreLogic RP Data

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<div>Contrary to some industry guru claims, offline marketing is far from dead, Riti Verma the founder and president of the US based <a href="https://www.rankmyagent.com/" target="_blank">RankMyAgent</a> suggests.</div>
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"Although the search to buy and sell real estate has largely moved online, reaching out to potential clients in the real world creates a sense of trust and connection that simply can’t be duplicated digitally," she recently blogged.
Even mailings and postcards were great for getting agent brand in front of homeowners.
"One reason is that most people deal with a lot less physical mail — even direct mail — than they do emails and online advertisements.'
"There’s no denying the fact that the internet is the most powerful marketing mechanism today. 
"It makes it easier for real estate agents to get in touch with a wider market of prospective clients than anything else we’ve ever known." 
She suggested all good estate agents must have social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to assist in connecting with target markets for listing purposes.
She said two out of three sellers, before choosing a real estate professional to work with, research potential agents extensively online first. 
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New and old world marketing remains key to agent success

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Onthehouse Holdings Limited, the ASX listed online real estate content and services platform, has announced it is looking for a joint venture partner to assumed majority ownership of its consumer online division, the platform providing free access to property sale prices and estimated home values on most properties in Australia.
A strategic review of the company following months of internal company turmoil has resolved to keep and concentrate on its real estate solutions division that provides software tools for real estate agents, other property professionals and financial institutions through Console and Real Estate Ad Network. 
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It conclusions reached by the board have been touted as avoiding the need to raise capital and dilute the current shareholding, or obtain debt funding.
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Consumer Online (COD) and Real Estate Solutions (RES) are distinct businesses and there is no compelling inter-dependency between them;
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As a consequence they need to be managed independently with a focus on an individual strategy for each business;
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Sharing of data will be by way of license agreements;
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The new COD subsidiary will have its own Board chaired by Onthehouse’s largest shareholder Michael Dempsey and will include current Board member Lisa Hickson;
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RES generates approximately $9 million in free cash per year and is able to self-fund implementation of its strategy;
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COD consumes approximately $7 million in cash per year that is currently being funded by the cash generated by RES;
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It said both businesses had "significant intrinsic value that is not currently recognised by the market."
Its COD will be developed in a non-listed JV vehicle in which OTH Holdings would maintain an interest, of between 30% and 49%.
The board anticipates JV partners could be one or several of the following:
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Like businesses that can add experience, technology or other industry assets etc. to the venture; and/or,
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Venture capital investors or other funders.
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"The board believes significant value can be created in this structure without the responsibility of funding the COD business.
"The search for appropriate JV partners has commenced and OTH is currently in discussion with a number of parties," chairman Tony Scotton told shareholders.
The Board expects that the separation strategy will take six months to execute. 
The new company structure, allowing the RES business to develop its potential without the constraints of funding COD, would see the listed company having a stable, profitable core business with a significant investment in the "potential upside of the COD business."
Over recent times activist investors have appeared on its share register and then its board following the abrupt mid-2014 departure of its founding shareholder and chief executive Michael Fredericks. Chris Meehan has been named chief executive officer having been acting chief executive since February. Other recent appointments include Emily Santucci as chief financial officer and Andy Antonini as chief operating officer.
Michael Dempsey who pocketed about $150 million from the sale of Ezidebit, took an 8 per cent stake in Onthehouse in December last year.
In 2013 it billed itself as Australia’s third largest real estate portal when it reached one million unique browsers per month. It is now more than three million.  
Onthehouse.com.au provides free access to 13.6 million Australian property data sets to its online and mobile visitors, including live sales and rental listings.
But the Consumer Online consumes about $7 million in cash annually triggering recent pre-tax impairment charges of $10.5 million, which led to a $9.1 million half-yearly loss for the company.
The $9.1 million loss for the six months to 31 December 2014 came after reporting a $587,000 profit the year before.
Disregarding the one-off costs, Onthehouse posted a $93,000 underlying profit – an 86 per cent drop on the previous year.
Onthehouse's total revenue sits at around $13 million - the group’s Real Estate Solutions division at $10.7 million.
The group’s Consumer Online and Data Analytics saw revenue at $2.3 million.
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