Iwan Sunito's vision for a landmark mixed-use precinct in Sydney's Inner West has taken a major step forward, with approval granted for the $1.9 billion Five Dock development first unveiled earlier this year.

The approved scheme by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/one-global-capital">One Global Capital</a> will deliver an 80,500 sqm mixed-use precinct comprising 840 apartments, integrated hotel accommodation, commercial and retail space, alongside publicly accessible open space designed to create a new destination for the growing suburb.

"This is a significant milestone for One Global Capital and for the future of housing delivery in Sydney," Sunito said.

"The Housing Delivery Authority was established to identify major housing projects capable of delivering meaningful supply more efficiently, and we are delighted that Spencer Street has been recognised as one of those projects.”

He said the declaration reflected the rapid progress achieved since acquiring control of the site.

"In less than seven months we have progressed from taking control of the site to securing entry into one of the NSW Government's most important planning pathways. It reflects the experience of our team, the strength of our consultant group led by Urbis, and our long-term commitment to delivering transformational projects that contribute to Sydney's future."

When the project was revealed earlier this year, Sunito described the opportunity as one of the strongest development sites he had worked on.

"I probably hadn't appreciated the uniqueness of the site until more recently when putting together the concept plans," Sunito said.

"The proximity to the water, and the golf course opposite, is unlike any other part of Parramatta Road. We have a unique position and view corridors over the water that makes this one of the best sites I've worked on."

The development has evolved since its initial announcement, with the approved plans increasing the residential component from the originally proposed 750 apartments to 840 homes while retaining the project's focus on creating an integrated neighbourhood rather than a standalone residential development.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/a-city-within-a-city-iwan-sunito-flags-1-5-billion-mixed-use-precinct-in-five-dock">"A city within a city": Iwan Sunito flags $1.5 billion mixed-use precinct in Five Dock</a>

The precinct will combine apartments with hotel accommodation, commercial workplaces, retail offerings and public spaces, creating a mixed-use environment intended to serve both residents and the broader Five Dock community. The proposal also continues the collaboration between One Global Capital and internationally recognised architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/koichi-takada-architects">Koichi Takada</a>, whose previous work with Sunito includes Infinity, Arc and Skye North Sydney.

Takada previously said the design was driven by a philosophy of integrating nature into the built environment.

"The concept for this development is born from our design approach to naturalising architecture," Takada said.

"The public realm benefits from biophilic design that integrates generous landscaping, and the development is optimised for natural daylight, airflow and water views to foster wellbeing, sustainability and spaces that foster community interaction."

Sunito has consistently described the project as a "city within a city", with a strong emphasis on creating a destination that extends beyond housing.

"We want to create a development that's not only to be seen, but to be experienced by the whole local community," he said.

The approval comes as Five Dock continues its transformation ahead of the opening of the Sydney Metro West line, with the new Five Dock station set to significantly improve connections between the Inner West, Parramatta and the Sydney CBD.&nbsp;

The precinct will also benefit from its proximity to the Parramatta Road corridor, nearby waterfront parklands and established retail and dining offerings that have made Five Dock one of Sydney's most tightly held Inner West suburbs.

Joel Robinson

Iwan Sunito secures approval for $1.9 billion Five Dock mixed-use precinct

The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 41-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 41-storey tower, which has 229 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

Rental market

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<h3 class="post-title entry-title">SQM Research reported that vacancy rates fell across most capital cities in the month of August 2017.</h3>
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<div>The national vacancy rate of 2.2 per cent was marginally lower than the 2.3 per cent seen at the same time in the prior year. </div>
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<div>Melbourne (1.7 per cent) and Hobart (0.4 per cent) in particular are seeing sharp increases in median asking rents, while the vacancy rate in Adelaide was down to just 1.6 per cent from 1.9 per cent a year earlier.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In fact, Hobart has the lowest vacancy rate on record for any capital city, and both rents and prices are exploding higher.  </div>
 <div class="separator"><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/21/SQM1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"><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/2017/09/21/SQM1.jpg" alt=""></div>
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<div>Vacancy rates ticked down from July in Brisbane (3.1 per cent) and Perth (4.6 per cent) in August.</div>
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<div>The rental market Perth needs to improve for landlords - median asking rents are some 34 per cent lower than at their peak according to SQM's asking rents index. </div>
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<div>Meanwhile Darwin has recorded seven consecutive declines in its vacancy rate, suggesting that the rental downturn may finally be over in the Northern Territory. </div>
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<div>Smoothing the last 6 months of figures suggests that the rental market is not deteriorating significantly in most capital cities. </div>
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<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/2017/09/21/SQM2.jpg" alt=""> <div class="separator"> </div>
 Dwelling completions are expected to peak in early 2018, while immigration has picked up a notch. SQM's Managing Director, Louis Christopher, noted: <div> </div>
<div>"We believe rents will likely rise at a faster pace 2018 than what has been recorded in 2017, thus far. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>We now have mounting concerns for significant rental shortages in 2019 in Sydney and Melbourne”. The delinquents There is some correlation here with the performance in mortgage delinquencies. Moody's reported that, by the month of May, 30 plus day delinquencies in Melbourne had declined to just 1.35 per cent, and in booming Hobart arrears had fallen very sharply to just 1.45 per cent. In Sydney, the 30-plus delinquency rate was as low as 0.84 per cent, which is as low as we will ever see for Sydney as a city of more than 5 million persons, while the ACT had a reported delinquency rate of just 0.90 per cent. On the other hand delinquency rates increased to 2.20 per cent in Adelaide, 2.66 per cent in Perth, and 2.82 per cent in Darwin. And helping to tick 30-plus arrears slightly higher year-on-year from 1.50 per cent to 1.62 per cent, delinquencies were higher in the regional markets of all of the resources states and territories, including South Australia.</div>
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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/21/MOODYS.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a> <div class="separator"><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/2017/09/21/MOODYS.jpg" alt=""></div>
 Despite these increases, thanks to the Sydney and Melbourne weighting nationally delinquency rates remain well below the levels seen in 2011 and 2012 of 1.87 per cent and 1.81 per cent respectively.</div>
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">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">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
 
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

SQM sees rental shortages by 2019 

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Enzo Raimondo was kind enough to conduct a far-reaching chat with Apartments.com.au recently. Currently the Chief Executive Officer of view.com.au, Enzo's previous positions included a stint at Real Estate Institute of South Australia and 16 years as the Chief Executive of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.

With this wealth of experience under his belt, Enzo Raimondo's knowledge of the hot topic that is rental affordability is equal to any in the market.

The chat began with questions regarding the overall state of Melbourne's apartment market, and consequently the state of the local rental market. Enzo explains the overall rental vacancy is hovering between 2.2% and 2.5%, thus from a rental perspective the overall market is understandably tight.

Certain pockets of the CBD and Southbank though have seen higher numbers in terms of apartment completions in recent years, which is a positive for rental affordability albeit in isolated areas.

In terms of prevailing trends within in the rental market, Enzo notes that the current rental market is flush with people who rent based upon lifestyle decisions. This demographic shift sees predominantly younger renters seeking proximity to amenities and employment options, as opposed to sourcing the cheapest possible rental.  

Another non-price related factor influencing the rental market is Melbourne's worsening commute times, and how this impedes lifestyle choices.

It's this scarcity of time and how individuals choose to utilise their limited time, coupled with the scarcity of land and higher dwelling prices which Enzo notes has resulted in higher proportion of Melbourne's population seeking a long-term rental-based solution.

With Melbourne coming off the peak of its largest ever apartment boom and vacancies hovering above 2%, Enzo Raimondo notes the need to address the supply issue longer term. So too does the state government by way of recently introducing the  (Long-term Tenancy Agreements) Bill 2017 to Parliament.

Enzo Raimondo applauds the move which in part seeks to facilitate longer-term rental agreements for tenants, providing certainty beyond a standard 12 month period. Having taken decades to evolve to this point, the bill seeks to equalise the relationship between tenant and landlord, and provide certainty for both parties over a longer period of time.

Enzo Raimondo also places pets on the agenda as a looming issue, given that allowances are generally not in rental agreements. This is particularly more prevalent in inner city apartments blocks which are a far cry from the suburban blocks with backyards that renters with dogs, in particular, are drawn to.

Quizzed on how scaled back foreign investment may mould the rental market, Enzo believes that this will only be a short term influence. Whilst foreign purchasers may dip, Enzo explains that a transitioning market will invariably pick up the slack in terms of purchasing Melbourne investment properties (read: added local rental stock), identifying expats from London and Hong Kong as likely sources in picking up the slack.

This, in turn, ties in with Apartments.com.au's question regarding the glut of vacant apartments across inner Melbourne, as has been reported in recent months.

Citing the low vacancy rate, Enzo Raimondo believes this is, for the most part, a furphy. He does caution though that a proportion of Asian-based buyers in recent years have purchased apartments for their children, whether they are studying in Melbourne and/or living here temporarily, and that this scenario can lead to the perception of masses of empty apartments.

Overall though Enzo Raimondo is not concerned about the perception or future prospect of swathes of empty apartments throughout inner Melbourne, citing Melbourne and Sydney as Australia's international destinations where investors will always be drawn to.

On Enzo Raimondo's relatively new position as CEO of view.com.au, he explains he is now at the helm of one of the nation's most astute website capable of delivering viewers real time property information.

The re-birthed view.com.au is designed to empower the consumer in their property choices, closing the data gap between the end user (the consumer) and agents. Enzo explains view.com.au empowers those who are on the hunt for a property, and the website's booming growth numbers underline this point.
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silvermb

Enzo Raimondo talks about Melbourne's rental market

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Metro area leases in Perth dropped off in the three months to June according to REIWA.
Latest figures from REIWA show when compared to the same time in 2016, leasing levels in Perth increased by six percent.
Hayden Groves, REIWA president said although activity had dropped off across the metro area in the three months to June, annual activity levels had continued to improve.
“The data for the June quarter 2017 clearly shows an uptick in activity on an annual basis across the board, which is pleasing," he said.
“We’re seeing notably more properties being leased now than we were this time last year.
“All five sub-regions saw lifts in their annual activity levels.
“The stand out performers were the South East and Central sub-regions, which improved by 10.5 per cent and 6.6 per cent respectively when comparing June quarter 2017 to June quarter 2016.
“Huntingdale, Booragoon, Bedford, Aubin Grove and Sorrento saw the biggest improvement in leasing activity in the three months to June 2017."
“Karrinyup in the Central sub-region was the best performing suburb for rent price, with its overall median lifting to $570 per week for the three months to June.
“Other suburbs to record positive growth to their median rent prices were Booragoon, East Fremantle, Mount Pleasant and Mindarie,” Mr Groves said.
reiwa.com data shows the median house rent price for the three months to June came in at $360 per week, while Perth’s median unit price was recorded at $330 per week.
It took an average of 52 days for Perth landlords to secure a tenant for their rental in the June quarter.
Mr Groves said the figure recorded for the three months to June was fairly steady on the March quarter, having only increased by one day.
“This stability was felt across all sub-regions, with only minor changes recorded in the average leasing day figure for the June quarter.
“The North West sub-region was the only sub-region to experience a reduction in the number of days it took to lease a property, while the South East sub-region saw no change."
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Perth rental market subdued in June quarter: REIWA

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The Inner Sydney rental market has seen two months of increased availability according to the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales, which also noted the highest levels since August 2015.
John Cunningham, REINSW President, said the June 2017 REINSW Vacancy Rate Survey saw Inner Sydney rise 0.3 percent at 2.2 percent, while the overall Sydney metropolitan area remained steady at 1.8 percent.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/07/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-07-14%20at%2010.46.14%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/07/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-07-14%20at%2010.46.14%20AM.png" alt="">
“The rise in Inner Sydney was offset by a decline of 0.2 percent at 1.4 percent in Middle Sydney, while outer Sydney slipped 0.1 percent at 1.7 percent," he said.
“More stock has entered the market place in Inner Sydney which has seen a rise in availability as tenants take time to fill the available accommodation.
"In the Illawarra, vacancy rates rose 0.7 percent to 2.5 percent with Wollongong up 1.2 percent at 2.4 percent.
"The Hunter rose 0.2 percent to 2.3 percent with Newcastle up 0.7 percent to 2.9 percent.
"Across regional areas, Albury and New England have the highest vacancy rates at 3.1 percent, up 0.3 percent and down 0.1 percent respectively.
"The Riverina was down 0.2 percent at 2.5 percent and Northern Rivers fell 0.1 percent to 1.6 percent."
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/07/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-07-14%20at%2010.47.25%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge </a><img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/07/14/Screen%20Shot%202017-07-14%20at%2010.47.25%20AM.png" alt="" style="font-size: 12.16px;">
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Inner Sydney vacancy rates highest for 2 years

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An idea seemingly out of left field given record dwelling completions in Sydney, but stick with it. 
Despite record apartment construction in 2016, the rental market is ultimately governed by the supply of rental properties on the market and the demand from tenants, not the absolute number of properties built.
Sydney is a city with an unusually high demand for rentals, for a few reasons.
Firstly, because it's an expensive city to buy a home to live in, and in an era where job stability is far less common most inhabitants will be a part of the rental market at one time or another (if nothing else the high rates of stamp duty ensure this). 
Sydney can also be a transient type of place - the harbour city attracts the most migrants from overseas, but also loses the most incumbent residents interstate or to the regions of New South Wales. 
This is a dynamic which leads to a high rate of churn and lots of tenancies. 
As home to the strongest economy in the nation in recent years, the annual rate of net overseas migration into New South Wales has been accelerating again, from 50,000 in 2010 back up to to more than 76,500 at the last count in September 2016. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/22/A1new.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/2017/06/22/A1new.jpg" alt="">
<div id="post-body-2812967251055994400" class="post-body entry-content">
 And then there is the unprecedented boom in the number of international students. <div class="separator"><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/22/A2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"><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/2017/06/22/A2.jpg" alt=""></div>
 <div>At the same time, a significant crackdown in lending to investors is underway, with a credit squeeze and rates being hiked on investor loans, while investors increasingly starved of credit are beginning to turn their interest to cheaper markets upstate or interstate. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Changes announced in the state budget were designed to bring more first homebuyers into the market in their stead. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Domain Group reported this week that apartment rents have increased by 17.4 per cent in Sydney over the last five years, with the growth in apartment rents topping 20 per cent in half a dozen sub-regions. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/22/DOMAIN.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
 <div class="separator"><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/2017/06/22/DOMAIN.jpg" alt=""></div>
 <div>Sydney may not be at full employment just yet, but with an unemployment rate of just 4.4 per cent it's been getting pretty close, and we know from historical experience that this tends to bring a high demand for rental properties. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/22/B1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
 <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/2017/06/22/B1.jpg" alt=""> <div>Sydney also has a track record of seeing rental prices spike when demand for investment properties falls sharply, such as from 1985 to 1988 (negative gearing ban), and in 2008 (financial crisis). </div>
<div> </div>
<div>A post to bookmark and watch over the next year. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">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">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
</div>
</div>
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Is Sydney heading for a rental crisis?

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/77324/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
A growing proportion of Australian households depend on the private rental sector for accommodation. This growth has occurred despite substantial insecurity of tenure under the law, unlike other countries with high private rental rates, such as Germany. 
Our newly published research on the impacts of long-term or even lifelong insecurity on Australian private renters found their responses range from lack of concern to constant fear and anxiety.
So, how many people are affected? Back in the 1990s about one-fifth of us rented our homes from private landlords. Now this has swelled to more than one-quarter. 
Historically, renting was usually a transitional step in the life cycle. Most people rented for a while and eventually bought a home. 
While this housing pathway is still dominant, a growing number of Australians cannot make this transition. At least one in three private renters are long-term private renters (ten years or more). This equates to at least one in 12 households.
Australian households rent accommodation under a regulatory framework that provides little protection against landlord-instigated “forced moves” or untenable rent increases. The initial written agreement/lease rarely extends beyond a year. Once it ends, the tenancy typically shifts to a “periodic” basis, and notice to vacate can be given without reasons.
The period of notice ranges from 42 days to 26 weeks – depending on the state or territory. Thus, beyond the initial lease, all private tenants are subject under the law to ongoing insecurity.
Drawing on 60 in-depth interviews, we explored the impacts of this de jure housing insecurity on long-term private renters in different housing markets (low, medium and high rent, with 20 interviews in each) in Sydney and Melbourne. We identified three typical responses to ongoing insecurity:
<ul>
<li>
incessant anxiety and fear;
</li>
<li>
lack of concern; and
</li>
<li>
concern offset to an extent by economic/social capital, with renting sometimes seen as the only means of living in a desired area. 
</li>
</ul>
We discuss these responses in turn.
<h2>Incessant anxiety and fear</h2>
For one group of interviewees, the insecurity was a persistent source of stress. They were constantly anxious about the possibility of being asked to leave their homes or incurring an untenable rent increase. 
Low-income interviewees in the low-rent outer suburban areas had limited economic and sometimes social capital. A notice to vacate invariably caused great anxiety as they had minimal resources to find alternative accommodation. 
Interviewees solely reliant on government benefits for their income were especially vulnerable. Frieda, 40, a single parent with five children, described her perceptions and experiences:
"At any minute I can get the letter to say, ‘Sorry, but you’ve got to move’ … The last house before this one … was supposed to be a long-term but he decided to sell that house. And then we got [another] one … and then [the owners] wanted the house back … We got notice [to vacate] but [were] still trying to, you know, find somewhere … For a while there, I was thinking we’ll be out on the street."
Nigel, 35, lived alone in a low-rent area in outer western Sydney. He had been receiving workers’ compensation, but when interviewed relied entirely on Newstart for his income. He was confident that his landlord would not ask him to leave, but needed all his income to pay his rent. This was a source of intense insecurity and he was not coping.
"I’m getting $661 a fortnight, my rent is $660 [a fortnight], so if it wasn’t for friends, you know … Stress is gone beyond a joke … You don’t know what you’re going to do the next day."
Christine, 57, also depended on Newstart for her income. She had lost her job a couple of years earlier after falling ill. Fear and anxiety were woven into her comments:
"A renter – you’ve always got that fear that you’re not going to have a roof over your head … Yes, I’ve been here 16 years, but you never know. The house can be sold and new owners can say, ‘No, we want you to go.’ You don’t have money for a bond for another premises or, you know, Housing Department can’t help you because you’re not what they consider to be [in] an urgent, desperate situation."
<h2>Not a concern</h2>
At the opposite end of the spectrum were interviewees who had deliberately chosen long-term private renting and were unconcerned about the possibility of a landlord-instigated forced move. “Renters by choice” tended to be single people or couples without children who lived in high-rent areas. They usually had ample economic and social capital and saw the flexibility associated with renting as an advantage. 
Sarah was living in a high-rent area in inner Melbourne:
"And I do have enough money to buy quite a nice apartment, but I’d rather use the interest and the share money [dividends from shares] and stuff to travel."
Angela and her partner lived in the same area. They had no children and preferred not having a lease:
"So the insecurity doesn’t bother me … It’s more to do with my freedom within that. It means that I can just leave whenever I want if I want to."
Astrid felt totally at ease with her long-term renter status in high-rent inner Sydney. In her late 30s and single, she had a reasonable income and strong social capital. She had rented for all her adult life:
"It doesn’t bother me [being asked to vacate] … If they come and say they’re going to sell, well, there’s a reason. It was meant to be, so yeah … There’s always somewhere to stay. So it suits my lifestyle. I wouldn’t want to buy anything even if I had the money."
<h2>Moderate concern</h2>
Interviewees in high and medium-rent areas were typically in a different position to tenants in low-rent areas. Their economic capital enabled them to rent (but not buy) in an area with good public schools and amenities, and to move if need be.
However, they were reluctant long-term renters and troubled by their housing insecurity. This was especially so if they had school-going children. 
Moira (high-rent area, Sydney), married with two children and in her mid-40s, was pleased with her rental situation. She paid an unusually low rent for her three-bedroom apartment. Alongside the area’s high-quality amenities, the quality of the public schools was a major drawcard.
However, the ever-present possibility of having to vacate was a concern:
"The fact that you don’t know how long you’re going to be there for and, you know, that was a massive thing when we were choosing a school … If we have to move, are we going to be able to be within distance … to keep him there? … And it [the lack of security] is a cloud that’s there always."
The main reason Glenn and his partner rented a small semi-detached house in a high-rent area in Sydney was to ensure their son had a good schooling:
"We need to stay in the area for our son and we balanced that against sending him to a private school, so in that way it’s cheaper to live here even though the rent’s high."
<h2>A crisis of affordability and insecurity</h2>
The interviews indicated that the de jure insecurity associated with private renting in Australia doesn’t necessarily translate into de facto insecurity. 
However, for at least one in four of our interviewees, the chronic de jure insecurity associated with private renting imbued everyday life with ongoing anxiety and stress. 
The intensifying crisis of rental affordability in Australia’s major cities means these negative outcomes of long-term private renting are likely to affect growing numbers in the years ahead.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-morris-13337" target="_blank">Alan Morris</a> is research professor, University of Technology Sydney.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hal-pawson-147969" target="_blank">Hal Pawson</a> is associate director - City Futures - Urban Policy and Strategy, City Futures Research Centre, Housing Policy and Practice, UNSW.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kath-hulse-228874" rel="author">Kath Hulse</a> is research professor, Swinburne University of Technology.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

The insecurity of private renters – how do they manage it?

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/77714/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Two new tools for measuring and visualising problems in our rental housing system are in the media this week.
They have similar names – the Rental Affordability Index (RAI) and the Rental Vulnerability Index (RVI) – but use different methods to offer distinct but complementary perspectives. Together they reveal that almost nowhere in our capital cities can low-income households – and those on average incomes in Sydney – afford the median rent. Mapping rental vulnerability reveals households in regional areas are struggling too.
The RAI is a project of National Shelter, the peak housing NGO, and SGS Economics and Planning. It gives us a bird’s-eye view of rental housing costs over most of Australia. It does this by showing how affordable the median rent (the midpoint of all rents) is – or isn’t – relative to incomes in each postcode.
An alternative approach considers where and in what proportion renters are actually in stress. We might also consider a range of other factors that indicate where and in what proportion renters are vulnerable to problems in accessing and keeping decent, secure housing. This is the approach we’ve taken with the RVI.
<h2>What does the RAI tell us?</h2>
Affordability is a relative concept – it is about costs relative to incomes. The RAI considers median rents higher than 30% of a household’s income to be unaffordable. The index shows other grades either side of this benchmark (very affordable, very unaffordable) too. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/18/file-20170515-3668-qveg8h.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<h4><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/2017/05/18/file-20170515-3668-qveg8h.jpg" alt=""></h4>
<div class="enlarge_hint">The Rental Affordability Index web tool zoomed in on Queensland. SGS Economics and Planning</div>
This is consistent with a widely used benchmark in housing policy, often known as the “30/40 rule”: housing costs should not exceed 30% of income for households in the lowest 40% of incomes.
The rationale is that when low-income households have to spend more than that on housing, they start to go without other things – meals, health care, outings – that they reasonably ought to have. For this reason, low-income households in unaffordable housing are said to be in “housing stress” or “rental stress”. 
The RAI looks at median rents, not the rents individual households are paying. This means it doesn’t tell us where or how many households are actually in rental stress. But it does indicate where renters face different degrees of pressure, in terms of either rents or constraints on the size, quality or location of dwellings. 
So, looking at the affordability of median rents for a number of typical low-income households – single and couple pensioners, single people on benefits, single-parent part-time workers – the RAI shows that almost nowhere in Australia’s capital cities is the median rent affordable for them. 
The RAI also applies the 30% benchmark higher up the income scale. Even for average-income renters, all Sydney postcodes – except for Mt Druitt and in the Blue Mountains – have median rents that are unaffordable or worse. 
Of the capitals, Sydney’s affordability problems are deepest and spread furthest, but much of Melbourne and Brisbane is unaffordable to average renters too. Outside the capitals, most of the regions are affordable. 
The quick takeaway from this perspective would be support for policies to increase the supply of affordable rental housing, particularly in our capital cities. These measures would include:
<ul>
<li>
building more social housing
</li>
<li>
changing planning rules to allow more residential development
</li>
<li>
using inclusionary zoning to ensure a proportion of new development is kept as affordable rental
</li>
<li>
making greater use of land tax, including on owner-occupied housing, to ensure land owners don’t speculatively sit on development opportunities.
</li>
</ul>
<h2>What does the RVI tell us?</h2>
For a different perspective, the City Futures Research Centre producedthe Rental Vulnerability Index (RVI) for Tenants Queensland. This shows (only for Queensland, at this stage) a range of “housing system” and “personal” factors that we know, based on a wider body of research on housing and legal needs, indicate vulnerability to housing problems. 
The housing system indicators include: rental stress, availability of rental housing that is affordable on local incomes, social housing and marginal tenures such as boarding houses, as well as personal indicators including unemployment, low education, disability, single-parent households and both young and elderly renters. 
As well as mapping each of these indicators, the RVI uses principal component analysis. This enables us to look across the indicators to see where they cluster together as a generalised “rental vulnerability”.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/18/file-20170515-3649-1s65oqm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<h4><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/2017/05/18/file-20170515-3649-1s65oqm.jpg" alt=""></h4>
<h4>The Rental Vulnerability Index web tool. City Futures Research Centre</h4>
Mapping this out we see that rental vulnerability in Queensland is highest in the regions. In particular, it is high around Bundaberg, Fraser Coast and Gympie, with a band of vulnerability skirting the regions west and south of Brisbane. Cairns also has several highly vulnerable postcodes. 
These places have high rates of unemployment, disability, low education and older people in rental housing. They also have high incidence of rental stress – even though median rents are low compared to Brisbane. 
By contrast, Brisbane generally scores quite low on rental vulnerability. This isn’t because there aren’t any vulnerable households there – there are. But their presence is masked by renter households who are doing well in terms of income, employment, education and other indicators. 
There is a substantial body of research on the “suburbanisation of disadvantage”. This is the phenomenon of high housing costs pushing out, and shutting out, low-income and otherwise disadvantaged households from city centres. The RVI indicates that this process, at least in Queensland, is extending into a “regionalisation of disadvantage”.
<h2>So what can we do about this?</h2>
The takeaway from this? Housing problems are multidimensional and extend beyond the capital cities. 
Regional areas have a pressing need for services – such as tenants advice services – that give vulnerable households material assistance in dealing with housing problems. 
But more than that, we need to build up the economic and social capital of these places – so that they offer greater opportunities for the vulnerable households who are concentrated there – just as we need policies to increase affordable housing opportunities in our cities.
Chris Martin is research fellow, City Housing, UNSW and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chris-martin-203935" target="_blank">here</a>.
Laurence Troy is research fellow - City Futures Research Centre, UNSW and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laurence-troy-2403" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Two pictures of rental housing stress and vulnerability zero in on areas of need

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/77098/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Renters are already the weak party at the negotiating table because they cannot ignore their need for a place to live.
But a new series of apps that pit renter against renter will only further tip the balance of power in favour of landlords, making it even harder to get a house.
The fierce competition in the rental market often results in renters paying more than is necessary. Over 150,000 tenants pay more than 50 percent of their incomes for housing. 
These apps may seem like they give renters more power – they are marketed using words like “fairness” and “transparency”, but they also note that landlords are missing out on “millions and millions”. 
Renting is a zero-sum game. Every dollar that a landlord gains is a dollar out of the tenant’s pocket. And in a market already tilted in favour of landlords, these apps could further push up rents.
To address the problem of renting affordability we need technologies that promote more cooperation between renters, rather than competition.
The apps
There are several different rent bidding apps, and they all work in different ways.
Live Offer asks prospective tenants to fill out forms and these are then ranked for the landlord to choose. The prospective tenants can see where they are in the rankings, in real time.
Rentberry is more of a real-time auction site. Prospective tenants submit bids, can see what the current highest bid is and how many bids there have been. 
With Rentwolf, prospective tenants set up extensive profiles, as they would with AirBnB, and then apply for properties through the marketplace.
What is the right price?
Real estate is worth what people are prepared to pay for it. But tenants will always be the weak party at the negotiating table. 
At least as far back as David Ricardo in 1817, economists have theorised that landlords take what is left over once other costs are deducted from the tenant’s income. In other words, rent is as much as tenants are able to pay.
Even before that, Adam Smith recognised that all real estate is a monopoly for landowners. This is because the supply of land is strictly limited, giving excessive negotiating power to whoever owns it. 
But these apps overwhelmingly rely on auctions, which can itself be a problem due to what is called the “winner’s curse”.
Studies have shown that so long as there are at least two motivated bidders, the winning bid tends to either equal the value, or be one bid above it. In other words, the winning bidder in an auction will often overpay and will “suffer” for having won. 
In the case of renters, this means paying excessive rents throughout the lease. Even worse, as more people bid similarly, the ruinous rents become accepted as normal. They become the market rent.
This same phenomenon has been shown in everything from jars of coins to oil-drilling rights and, yes, real estate.
Some research has further shown that in an auction the second-highest bid could be the “rational price”. 
My own controlled experiments have shown that people are easily encouraged by necessity to bid excessively in auctions. This is despite full knowledge of the ruinous consequences. 
This is because people have only a limited capacity to vary their needs. We all need to live somewhere, and our culture limits the options. If the option is sharing with relatives or accepting a lower standard of living due to high rents, then our sense of independence will often prompt our willingness to tighten our belts.
These rental apps will play into these stresses and uncertainties, making it more likely people will overbid in the auctions. This is why these rental apps are likely to result in higher rents.
How technology can reduce rents
Some time ago researchers suggested that renters might be able to reduce rents by banding together.
Working together, renters would be able to create the equivalent of there being only one buyer in the market – a monopsony. A monopsony works like a monopoly, but for buyers rather than sellers. For real estate rents, if land owners enjoy a natural monopoly-like advantage, then tenants have to behave like a monopsony to negate the power imbalance. 
The current crop of rental apps do not address this imbalance. They only inform bidders as to what other, similarly stressed people, are bidding. It stresses them to bid higher.
Already, we are seeing the power of Facebook to build communities around renting. There are groups that help people find flatmates, for example. If the internet is to tackle the problem of renting affordability, then we need to extend this community, for renters to act in unison on rent.
Without a service that seeks to unite renters, rather than have them compete, housing affordability will only get worse. Rent bidding apps will increase landlord revenues and do so at the expense of tenants.
Garrick Small is associate professor, CQUniversity Australia and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/garrick-small-369026" target="_blank">here.</a>
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Why rent bidding apps will make the rental market even more unaffordable

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/76461/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
As rents soar in Melbourne and Sydney, the rental market in Western Australia has become more affordable for low-wage workers since the end of the mining boom.
But many households still struggle to find affordable accommodation.
Today Anglicare released its annual national Rental Affordability Snapshot, which includes a focus on each state. 
In WA, 14,123 private rentals were advertised at the beginning of April, up 8% from a year ago. With increased stock, rents are becoming more affordable across the state. The median rent in the Perth metro area fell 11% to A$350; by 6% in the Southwest and Great Southern regions; and by 7% in the Northwest, including the Pilbara and Kimberley. 
Following years of inflated rents during the mining boom, working families in WA are seeing some real improvement in rental affordability – defined as less than 30% of household income. More than 46% of properties listed in Perth were found to be affordable for a couple both earning minimum wages and receiving Family Tax Benefit in 2017, compared to 39% in 2016. Similar families could afford 23% of properties in Melbourne and only 4% in Sydney. 
Single parents on a minimum wage had far fewer options. They could afford only 6% of listed properties in Perth. In all of Sydney and Melbourne, only one property was affordable for single parents on a minimum wage.
The situation remains dire for households on fixed incomes in WA – as it does for similar households across Australia. A person on a disability pension could afford only 25 properties (0.2% of available properties). A single parent could afford 48 (0.3%). And pensioners could afford 105 (2.7%) in all of WA. 
People on Newstart or Youth Allowance had no affordable options in the entire state. This includes boarding houses and share houses, where rooms are rented out individually. 
<h2>What are the consequences?</h2>
With more than 18,500 households on the waiting list for social housing and an average wait time of three years, most low-income households must find somewhere to live in the private rental market. When housing is unaffordable, low-income households end up paying a large percentage of their income on rent. Doing this means they forgo basic necessities, borrow money to stay afloat and, in some cases, experience homelessness. 
The number of people at risk of homelessness is increasing every year. More than 24,000 Western Australians sought help from a homelessness service in 2016, an increase of 5% from the previous year.
The slowing state economy has brought insecurity and uncertainty to many working families. With growing rates of unemployment and under-employment, and increased casualisation of the workforce, many WA households are in precarious financial circumstances. 
Anglicare WA financial counsellors report an increase in requests from tenants who have had to break their lease due to a job loss or needing to move interstate for employment. They find themselves liable for the period the rental remains vacant in the soft housing market, as well as the difference between the rent they paid and the likely reduced rent for new tenants. 
Landlords remain protected from the loss, while the tenants often end up paying for a home they no longer live in.
<h2>What can be done?</h2>
To start with, increasing the stock of social housing would go some way to overcoming the lack of affordable options for people on low incomes. 
The creation of affordable housing bonds, similar to those discussed by Treasurer Scott Morrison in his address to the Affordable Housing and Urban Research Institute earlier this month, would create a pool of funds for social housing providers to use to build more stock. However, such a mechanism is still many years off.
In the meantime, increasing the rate of Newstart from the current $268 per week to ensure a basic standard of living for job-seekers would bring households living in poverty back from the brink of homelessness. 
Two other policy options would also help improve housing affordability for people on low incomes. The government should remove distortionsin the tax system that inflate the cost of housing and discourage institutional investment in the private rental sector. Commonwealth Rent Assistance could also be increased and better targeted.
The main conclusion from this study is that broader discussions about housing affordability overlook the fact that the private rental market is not capable of meeting the needs of many people on low and fixed incomes without trapping them in poverty by consuming most of their available funds.
 
Shae Garwood is honorary research fellow, School of Social and Cultural Studies, University of Western Australia and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/shae-garwood-293422" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Housing still out of reach for many even as rents fall in post-boom Western Australia

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Residential vacancy rates have fallen across the Sydney market led by solid falls in availability in Middle Sydney, according to the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales (REINSW).
REINSW President John Cunningham said the March 2017 REINSW Vacancy Rate Survey saw the Sydney metropolitan market down 0.2% at 1.7%.
"Middle Sydney led the fall in rental accommodation on offer with a 0.4% decline at 1.4%," Cunningham said.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/04/18/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-18%20at%2012.38.36%20pm.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/2017/04/18/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-18%20at%2012.38.36%20pm.jpg" alt="">
"Outer Sydney fell 0.1% at 2.1% and Inner Sydney was down 0.1% at 1.6%."
The Hunter also saw a drop of 0.1% at 2.0% with a 0.7% correction in Newcastle at 2.0%.
In the Illawarra, vacancy rates rose 0.4% at 1.5% with Wollongong adding 0.1% to 1.2%.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/04/18/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-18%20at%2012.39.06%20pm.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/2017/04/18/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-18%20at%2012.39.06%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Across regional areas, the Northern Rivers has the lowest vacancy rate at 1.0%, down 0.1%, the South Coast dropped 0.7% at 1.4% and Albury was down 1.0 at 2.2%.
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New apartments

New townhouses

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