Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

Joel Robinson

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

IN BRIEF

<ul>
	<li>
	Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.
	</li>
	<li>
	Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.
	</li>
	<li>
	Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.
	</li>
</ul>

<hr />
Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.

Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]

Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.

“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.

“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.

“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]

The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.

The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.

Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.

“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.

“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”

<img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" />

Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.

Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.

Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.

“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.

“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.

“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”

Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.

Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.

Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.

Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.

The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.

It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.

<img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" />

The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.

The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.

<img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" />

Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.

The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.

The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.

Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.

The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.

<img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" />

&nbsp;

The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.

Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.

Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a>

Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.

Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.

Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station">First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</a>

&nbsp;

First look: Vinnies files for 20-storey Lavender Bay apartment tower as North Sydney housing pocket heats up

When the opportunity arose for South Australian developer Palumbo to return to Kent Town, where it had previously delivered East Park Apartments and the East 
Rundle Apartments, it wasn't one the longstanding developer-builder was going to pass up.

The decision was quickly vindicated, with more than 30 apartments sold within the first month of launching <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/royal-apartments-kent-town-2-8-north-terrace-kent-town-sa-5067">Royal Apartments</a> to the market.

The 206-apartment development, which will bring significant new supply to Adelaide's tightly held eastern city fringe, also gives <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/palumbo">Palumbo</a> the opportunity to bring new life to one of Kent Town's most recognisable watering holes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376073]

Royal Apartments incorporates the historic Royal Hotel, a venue Palumbo Managing Director Daniel Palumbo said has a longstanding connection with the local community.

"Everyone in the area has history with the Royal Hotel," Palumbo told Apartments.com.au.

"It was quite an active pub and social gathering place for locals. We want to bring it back to its former glory."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376072]

The wider development will comprise two residential towers alongside the restored hotel, sitting on North Terrace opposite the Adelaide Park Lands.

For Palumbo, the project also marks a return to familiar territory.

The developer completed East Park Apartments next door more than a decade ago and jumped at the opportunity to develop in Kent Town again when the Royal Hotel site became available.

"The opportunity emerged, and we moved to secure the site," Palumbo said.

"We were approached by the previous landowner, who said they had extensive commitments in Sydney and weren't in a position to deliver the project.

"We took over the site and within six months recut the design scheme to be more in keeping with the type of development we want to bring to Adelaide.

"Now we're on the market and those changes have really resonated with local buyers."

That has translated into a strong start to sales, with 33 apartments transacting in the project's first 35 days.

Palumbo said the early purchaser profile had been consistent with the group's traditional focus on owner-occupiers rather than investor-led apartment stock.

"Local owner-occupiers have always been our market," he said.

"There are always some investors, but we've never developed what would be called traditional development stock. Owner-occupiers are very much our market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376068]

The buyer mix has been diverse so far, with downsizers and younger professionals both accounting for a significant portion of early sales.

South Australia's current stamp duty settings, which allow&nbsp;eligible homeowners in South Australia aged 60 savings of up to $103,830 on stamp duty when they downsize to a new property valued at up to $2 million,&nbsp;have helped encourage downsizer activity, while younger buyers in their late 20s and early 30s have been attracted to the opportunity to live immediately outside the CBD while still being able to walk into the city.



Location has been a major part of the proposition for both buyer cohorts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376075]

Royal Apartments sits on North Terrace directly opposite the Adelaide Park Lands, with residents able to walk through the parklands toward the East End, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.

Apartments have been positioned to capture views across the parklands, Adelaide skyline, Botanic Gardens and Adelaide Hills.

Palumbo believes the scarcity of developable land along this section of the Park Lands makes the site particularly difficult to replicate.

"There's very few allotments on that side that can be developed," he said.

"If this location was in New York and you were sitting on Central Park, you'd be talking about a $60 million apartments."

Royal Apartments will offer a broad mix of residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.

Current listings include one-bedroom apartments from $680,000, while larger three and four-bedroom residences are priced around $2.5 million.

Residents will have access to a swimming pool, gym, barbecue and recreation areas, residents' lounge and dining space, and a communal deck.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376067]

The apartments will feature generous balconies, while secure parking, bicycle storage and storage cages will also be provided.

A porte-cochère-style arrival and drop-off area has also resonated with buyers, particularly those attracted to being able to walk into the CBD during the day while retaining secure vehicle access at home.

Palumbo is acting as developer, architect and builder on Royal Apartments, continuing the vertically integrated model it has used across its South Australian portfolio.

The group was also behind the $150 million Sofitel Adelaide, the 251-room five-star hotel and residential tower which opened in 2021.

Palumbo said Royal's launch had come at an interesting time for the broader Adelaide apartment market.

Buyer confidence had initially been impacted by uncertainty surrounding the Federal Budget and broader economic conditions, but Palumbo believes sentiment is beginning to improve against a backdrop of significant investment flowing into South Australia.

He pointed to increased activity across defence and resources, including Olympic Dam, as potential long-term drivers of the state's economy and housing market.

"Money is starting to flow into Adeliade, significant amounts as Adelaide bucks the trend of the rest of the country.," Palumbo said.

"There's a lot of activity in the economy over the next decade. I think more investment will come into this market."

Early works on Royal Apartments are expected to commence this year, with major construction activity and cranes anticipated on site from early next year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6109]

Palumbo's return to Kent Town strikes early chord with buyers

Go-to builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">GRAYA</a> is continuing to bulk out its already impressive and diverse apartment portfolio across South East Queensland. Their latest milestone is securing development approval for Silk, its boutique riverfront apartment development in St Lucia.

The approval clears&nbsp;the way for the team to begin construction planning for the 22-residence project.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/silk-st-lucia-16-18-sandford-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">Silk</a> will rise 15 levels from an 810 sqm site at 16-18 Sandford Street, occupying a prominent bend of the Brisbane River with a prized northern aspect across Orleigh Park toward the Brisbane CBD.

The approved scheme will comprise 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences, continuing GRAYA's move into larger-format apartment developments targeting Brisbane's prestige owner-occupier market.

The project has been designed around the site's broad river frontage and dual-direction views, with GRAYA prioritising larger residences, privacy and outlook over apartment yield.

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5c2349-f96c-4914-a812-1f2cd6827af8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WY0vEU_7vYjeRJKQHiCwFdMxu8PvFh52" />

GRAYA Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gray said the project had been shaped around local homeowners wanting to remain in St Lucia without maintaining a traditional family home.

"St Lucia is one of those suburbs people do not want to leave," Gray said.

"They know the river, the trees, UQ, the golf course, Toowong and Indooroopilly, and that familiarity is hard to replace.

"True riverfront opportunities here are exceptionally scarce. What we have designed at Silk is a way to stay in the suburb people love, with the scale and privacy of a private home and far less to maintain.

"This is not typical apartment product. It is a proper home on the river, and that is exactly what this market has been missing."

The approval comes as new apartment development continues to increase across the St Lucia and neighbouring Toowong corridor, although direct riverfront sites remain considerably more tightly held.

GRAYA Co-founder and Managing Director Andrew Gray said securing the approval had removed a significant element of development risk from Silk.

"Genuine riverfront sites of this quality in St Lucia are not something that comes up regularly," Gray said.

"The approval removes a substantial layer of execution risk, and the location underwrites demand in a way very few inner-city sites can.

"The fundamentals here are as strong as anything we have assessed in Brisbane."

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f3d734-65e1-48e8-8ed3-2e0715ffcdd9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sOLSs_jdHkXLWbBKzRyayf5BfTb2vPsD" />

Silk will see GRAYA return to a stretch of the Brisbane River where it already has recent construction experience. The vertically integrated group recently completed ARC in neighbouring Toowong as builder for developer Spyre, delivering the riverfront project on a constrained site.

GRAYA will take a different role at Silk, controlling the project from design and development through construction and aftercare under its vertically integrated model.

The development will include a gym and resident leisure areas at ground level, integrated with the river's edge.

Silk joins a growing pipeline for GRAYA across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which includes Enclave, The Gallery, Coral and Ripple.

The developer-builder has also recently lodged plans for its largest project to date, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-silo-19-chester-street-newstead-qld-4006">The Silo</a>, a proposed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/graya-buys-frasers-newstead-site-plans-the-silo-between-james-street-and-gasworks-precincts">$700 million mixed-use development</a> in Brisbane's James Street precinct.

Silk is expected to predominantly target local owner-occupiers and prestige buyers seeking a permanent riverfront home in Brisbane's inner west.

Registrations of interest are now open, with further details on the project and construction program to be released as it progresses.

<hr />
<h2>SILK PROJECT FACTS</h2>

Developer-builder: GRAYA

Project: Silk

Location: 16-18 Sandford Street, St Lucia

Apartments: 22

Built form: 15 levels

Site: 810 sqm riverfront holding

Mix: 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences

Status: Development approved

Next step: Construction planning underway

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152168]

GRAYA greenlit for riverfront St Lucia apartment development, Silk

Victoria

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First home buyers in Victoria have seen the biggest increase in the time needed to save for a deposit for a median priced house across all of Australia, according to a new report by Bankwest.
Victorian first time buyers (FTBs) are having to save for seven months longer than they did last year, the biggest increase in the country, thanks to a buoyant property market in the state.
FTBs have to save for 5.4 years to save the necessary $126,187 needed for a deposit, up from 4.9 years last year and well above the 4.6 year national average, said the 2017 Bankwest First Time Buyers Report.
Despite this shows, first time buyers are not being put off from trying to get their foot on the housing ladder with 26,369 first time purchases in the year to June 2017 (roughly stable YoY).
Furthermore, ABS data shows the number of FTBs buying in the year to August 2017 rose by 3% to 27,758 (accounting for 15.1% of all homes purchased in the same period).
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/12/1/VicMostTime.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/12/1/VicMostTime.png" alt="">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/12/1/VicLeastTime.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
 <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/12/1/VicLeastTime.png" alt="">
Victoria’s FTBs have been responding to a number of factors, according to Bankwest general manager Personal &amp; Small Business Banking, Donna Dalby.
“Victorian house prices rose by 14.0% in the 12 months to August 2017 but also in 2017 we saw the introduction of stamp duty discounts for Victorian first time buyers on properties up to $750,000,” she said.
“While Victorian wages only grew by 2% this stamp duty discount will have encouraged first time buyers into the market. There were approximately 3,162 FTBs in Victoria in the month of August 2017 alone, the highest number since December 2009.”
In Melbourne, it takes more than four years for FTBs to save for a deposit in every local government area (LGA) in the city - the first time in the history of the report. Two in three (67.7%) LGAs require FTBs to save for more than six years, up from 54.8% in 2016.
FTB couples in Melbourne will need an average of 6.4 years to save the $153, 008 deposit needed on a median priced house, eight months longer than in 2016 (5.7 years) and 1.5 years above the capital city average of 4.9 years.
Melbourne’s Boroondara area is the least accessible as FTBs there will require an average of 15 years to save a median deposit of $436,738.
The saving time here rose by 1.4 years year onn year, driven by a 12.8%1 increase in Boroondara median house prices.
A four-bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-farmlet-vic-gannawarra-7913094" target="_blank">50 Lake Road, Gannawarra</a> (picture above) is on the market for $350,000. It was previously listed in 2013 for $355,000.
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Victorian FHBs hampered by buoyant housing market 

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The Melbourne areas with the most number of unoccupied properties have been revealed, as the Andrews government prepares for its new vacant property tax.
The new tax will hit the Melbourne City Council area, where more than 2500 high-rise apartments are vacant.
The new tax will apply to the 16 local government areas from January 1 next year for properties that are left vacant for more than six months in a calendar year.
In the Moonee Valley council area, which includes Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Ascot Vale, Avondale Heights, there are at least 1700 empty properties.
There are more than 1000 vacant properties in the inner-northern Yarra City Council area, which takes in Fitzroy, North Carlton, Collingwood and Richmond.
Glen Eira and Port Phillip each have up to 1300 unoccupied properties.
 The number of empty homes is estimated based on water usage.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the vacancy tax would send a strong message to property owners who were "land banking" that they needed to sell or rent those homes.
There is a range of exemptions for the tax. Some of those will include deceased estates, holiday homes and properties being renovated.
Mr Andrews said the vacancy tax was a commonsense change.
"This is a really powerful signal to the market not to be leaving properties vacant at a time when so many people are finding it so hard to get into the market."
Census figures from 2016 showed that Australia had 200,000 more homes sitting empty than it did a decade ago. 
The vacancy tax is expected to raise more than $80 million over four years. But Mr Andrews said he hoped it would encourage owners to rent or sell their properties rather than providing revenue to the government.
Opposition Treasurer Michael O'Brien​ asked "are property owners now required to send their diaries to Daniel Andrews' tax officials?"
HomeGround Real Estate, a division of Launch Housing, is calling on owners of empty properties in the municipality to return 1,000 homes to the rental market.
Despite the current housing affordability crisis, more than 7,000 homes in the City of Melbourne municipality remain empty according to City of Melbourne demographic data 2013*. Returning just 14 per cent, or 1,000 homes, to the rental market would make a big difference to the growing number of people who struggle to find an affordable home in Melbourne.
HomeGround Real Estate is a not-for-profit real estate agency run by Launch Housing, one of Melbourne’s largest providers of housing and homelessness services. The innovative social enterprise aims to increase the stock of affordable housing for clients throughout Melbourne, securing affordable properties for low income tenants, including women and children escaping family violence. 
Launch Housing Deputy CEO Dr Heather Holst said property owners leave homes empty for a variety of reasons but listing the properties with HomeGround Real Estate could make a big difference.
“More and more people on lower incomes are at risk of homelessness due to the lack of affordable rental properties in Melbourne.
“The benefits are huge. People who have otherwise been priced out of the market are offered more affordable private rental, and HomeGround Real Estate offers landlords expert property and tenancy management services that give them peace of mind, the opportunity to contribute to those in need of housing, and a ‘social return’ on their negotiated, discounted rental fee.” 
The City of Melbourne made a one-off grant of $150,000, from its $2 million Pathways Innovation Package, to HomeGround Real Estate to contribute to activities that will increase the number of rental properties that are available to people experiencing homelessness within the municipality.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Melbourne's vacant property hotspots revealed as Andrews introduces new tax

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Victoria’s land sales boom continues in step with strong migration, with new research by Oliver Hume showing prices rising and new lot sales increasing by 2.1% in the last three months.
Melbourne land continues to be some of the hottest property in the country with new lots being snapped up in just around three weeks on average, down from nearly 200 days five years ago.
Median prices in metropolitan Melbourne’s growth areas rose by around a third, reaching over $292,000 in the September quarter 2017, according to Oliver Hume’s new Quarterly Market Report.
Meanwhile, lot sizes keep shrinking. The median size of a lot declined over the year to 414 sqm in the September quarter 2017 from 420 sqm in the September quarter 2016.
The research, which covers key land, apartment and development site markets in Victoria and South East Queensland, analysed thousands of transactions.
It showed around 6,800 land sales in the three months to the end of September across key markets in Victoria.
The median price of land in metropolitan Melbourne’s growth areas reached $292,650 in the third quarter, up 7.6% (or $20,650 from $272,000 in the June quarter of 2017.) 
Melbourne’s west remains the city’s major growth corridor with more than 50 active projects; the northern corridor had 38 active projects, while the south-east corridor had over 31 projects. 
Oliver Hume national head of Research George Bougias said Melbourne’s unprecedented population growth was driving the property market.
“The new property market continues to see considerable growth,” he said. “It is being driven by a range of demand and supply factors, especially record population growth and demographic change.
“Population growth via natural increase remains high and Victoria continues to attract an increasing number of overseas and interstate migrants. Importantly, many new migrants are now calling Melbourne’s growth area municipalities home.”
Victoria’s population rose by over 149,000 people in the year ending March 2017 with all components of population growth either at their peak or close to their previous peak.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/11/15/AvgTimeonMkt.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/11/15/AvgTimeonMkt.png" alt="">
Oliver Hume director Gerrard Ellis said land was attracting a wide variety of buyers including first home buyers, investors and value hunters from Sydney.
“Over the last couple of years, we have seen an ever-increasing number of people priced out of the Sydney market looking to set up their life in Melbourne,” he said. “If your job and family are transferrable, the decision is pretty simple.
“Melbourne is not just attracting locals either with roughly three out of every four buyers in Melbourne born overseas and one-in-five from India.” 
An analysis of buyers in the September quarter showed first home buyers (38%) remain the most active and together with second home buyers account for around 70% of all new land purchases.
Bougias said the medium and long-term outlook for land sale prices and volumes remained positive if population growth continued to remain robust.
“Metropolitan Melbourne could add over a million people in under a decade with the greenfields playing a critical role in accommodating this higher than expected population growth,” he said.
“The Melbourne greenfield market is nationally significant in accommodating Australia’s record growth in population.”
Bougias said the population of Melbourne would continue to grow strongly well into the future, and probably outstrip most official forecasts.
Except for the first quarter of 2015, the average time on market for new land lots has now fallen or remained steady in every quarter since the third quarter of 2013, after peaking in the current cycle at 6.6 months at the end of 2012.
The statistic measures the period from when a piece of land is released for sale by a developer until it is contracted by a purchaser.
 
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Victorian land sales soar as population grows fast: Oliver Hume

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Located on the shores of Victoria’s Gippsland Lakes, Bay House at Metung has sold for a record $2.8 million.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-metung-124869986" target="_blank">charming three bedroom residence</a> is on a 1888 sqm block on Bancroft Bay, at the upper end of the town's market.
It had been traded at $2.55 million in 2007, setting a record which was only bettered last year when another house on what's known as Shaving Point sold for $2.62 million.
The picturesque township, four hours east of Melbourne, comes with a $415,000 the median house price.
Bay House offered a state of the art kitchen, open-plan living area, fireplace, timber floors, and a fully fitted self-contained studio.
With all bedrooms complete with ensuites and water views, the Metung Road retreat sold through Castran Real Estate agent, John Castran, in conjunction with King &amp; Heath First National. 
It came with landscaped gardens and lawn with 26 metres of bay frontage.
The property included a jetty and a private floating marina with deep water berthing for two boats up to 17m, plus additional berthing for smaller vessels. 
This article was first published in The Weekend Australian.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Record waterfront Metung beach house sale

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<div class="tg-tlc-storybody_intro">
State Government stamp duty cuts have saved first-home buyers in Victoria more than $76 million.
</div>
Around 4500 new homeowners have benefited from the concessions between July 1 and October 12, including 3711 who paid no stamp duty at all.
The cuts, announced in March and introduced in July, scrapped the property tax on homes that cost less than $600,000.
First-home buyers purchasing property between $600,000-$750,000 also received reduced discounts.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the average first-home buyer was $8000 better off.
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Victorian stamp duty cuts cost $76 million since July

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Rental bidding apps such as Rentberry, Liveoffer and Rentwolf, which aim to implement the property auction process to renting, could soon face a crackdown in Victoria.
The announcement was part of the Labor government’s policy push to make “renting fair” through a package of tenancy reforms.
Victoria’s Minister for Consumer Affairs Marlene Kairouz said that as more people are renting than “ever before and for longer – that’s why tenants need a fairer deal”.
“These changes will crack down on rental bidding, make it easier and faster for renters to get their bond back, and will better hold landlords and agents to account for their actions,” Kairouz added.
Academic Garrick Small from CQUniversity Australia had noted recently in The Conversation that in a market already tilted in favour of landlords, renting apps could further push up rents.
Small summarised each of the apps: Live Offer, Rentberry and Rentwolf
"Live Offer asks prospective tenants to fill out forms and these are then ranked for the landlord to choose," Small said.
"The prospective tenants can see where they are in the rankings, in real time.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/10/18/LiveOffer.png" alt="">
"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. 
 <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/10/20/Rentberry.png" alt="">
"With Rentwolf, prospective tenants set up extensive profiles, as they would with AirBnB, and then apply for properties through the marketplace."
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/10/20/Rentwolf.png" alt="">
Domain reported earlier this year that the controversial Silicon Valley start-up, Rentberry that lets tenants bid against each other for rental properties will launch in Australia this year.
Elite website editor Sarah Bell recently listed some ‘thinking points’ about rent bidding apps in the Elite Agent.
While she said that the apps encourage a free and open system, rewarding those who compete and are bold, a roof over our heads is a basic necessity and bidding will only increase the stress of renting.
Also, the ‘market price’ for rentals won’t necessarily be dependent on the features of the accommodation as much as it will turn on the availability of the accommodation. 
Bell suggested making available data on recently leased comparable properties so that tenants can make an informed decision about market value, as opposed to market value being whatever a tenant is prepared to pay. 
Rental bidding creates an uneven bargaining power between tenant and landlord, she said.
“There is a danger that as the economy cycles and rental accommodation becomes more scarce, the non-property owning class – some of whom are the most vulnerable people in our society – will feel the impact most sharply.”
The rental bidding apps should try to address the imbalance of power between landlord and tenant. 
The highest possible market price could punish a tenant through the term of a lease and the hassles involved where a tenant cannot afford and ceases to pay rent can dwarf a theoretical windfall from an inflated rent bid.
Limits on bidding based on affordability were needed to protect those most vulnerable to over-bidding, she suggested.
Bidding simply makes price the most important factor in choosing a tenant, rather than other factors such as the tenant’s rental history, stability and others that make a good tenant.
Rental bidding can eventually backfire if tenants feel it is unfair. Collectively, tenants could vote with their feet and simply refuse to rent properties in a rent-bid scenario – essentially driving their corrective action on a perceived power imbalance, she says.
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Debate grows as Victoria announces crackdown on rental bidding  

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What is something worth? How do you put a dollar value on something like a river, a forest or a reef? When one report announces that <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-economic-value-of-the-great-barrier-reef-its-priceless-80061" target="_blank">the Great Barrier Reef is worth A$56 billion</a>, and another that it’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-economic-value-of-the-great-barrier-reef-its-priceless-80061" target="_blank">effectively priceless</a>, what does it mean and can they be reconciled?
This contrast points to fundamentally different notions of value. Environmental accounting is a way of recognising and comparing multiple sources of value, in order to better weigh competing priorities in resource management.
In practice it is sometimes crude, but it’s been <a href="https://unstats.un.org/unsd/envaccounting/seeaRev/SEEA_CF_Final_en.pdf" target="_blank">standardised internationally</a> and its scope is expanding to include <a href="https://unstats.un.org/unsd/envaccounting/seeaRev/eea_final_en.pdf" target="_blank">social, cultural, and intrinsic benefits</a>.
Using environmental accounting we’ve <a href="https://rdcu.be/vXlL" target="_blank">investigated</a> the tall, wet forests of Victoria’s Central Highlands to weigh the competing economic cases for continuing <a href="https://www.vafi.org.au/" target="_blank">native timber harvesting</a> and creating a <a href="https://www.greatforestnationalpark.com.au/" target="_blank">Great Forest National Park</a>. But first we’ll explain a little more about environmental accounting, and how we put a price on trees.
<h2>What we count</h2>
Essentially, environmental accounting involves identifying the contributions of the environment to the economy, summarised as gross domestic product (GDP). In Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics standardises the data and reporting of these contributions in the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/AusStats/ABS@.nsf/MF/5204.0" target="_blank">System of National Accounts</a>. The Bureau also produces <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abs.gov.au/AusStats/ABS@.nsf/MF/4655.0" target="_blank">environmental accounts</a> that extend the range of information presented - e.g. water and energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
But there are other things of value, like positive environmental and social outcomes, worth incorporating into calculations. <a href="https://unstats.un.org/unsd/envaccounting/seeaRev/eea_final_en.pdf" target="_blank">Ecosystem accounting</a> gives researchers a framework for doing this, extending the accounting to look at the value of different “ecosystem services” – the contributions of ecosystems to our wellbeing - and not just goods and services captured in our national accounts or environmental accounts.
For example, businesses and homes pay a price for water delivery, but the supplier doesn’t pay for the water that entered the dam. That water is an ecosystem service created by forests and the atmosphere. By assessing costs in the water supply industry, we can estimate the value of the ecosystem service of water provisioning.
<h2>The value of Victoria’s Central Highlands</h2>
Victoria’s Central Highlands are contested ground. Claims and counter-claims abound between the proponents of native timber production and those who are concerned about the impacts of logging on water supply, climate abatement and threatened species.
<a href="https://rdcu.be/vXlL" target="_blank">Our research</a> has, for the first time, directly compared the economic and environmental values of this ecosystem. It shows that creating a Great Forest National Park is clearly better value.
With any change in land management, there will be gains and losses for different people and groups. Assessing these trade-offs is complex, made even more so by patchy and inconsistent data.
Through careful accounting, we synthesised the available data and calculated the <a href="https://tsrhub.worldsecuresystems.com/Ecosystem%20Complete%20Report_V5_highest%20quality.pdf" target="_blank">annual contributions of industries</a> to GDP. In 2013-14, the latest year for which all financial data were available, these came to A$310 million for water supply, A$312 million for agriculture, A$260 million for tourism and potentially A$49 million for carbon storage. (There is no current market for carbon stored in native forests in Australia – more on that in a minute.)
All of this far exceeds the A$12 million from native timber production. Although timber production is a traditional industry, its contribution to the regional economy is now comparatively small.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186939/original/file-20170921-16572-3kqj0h.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186939/original/file-20170921-16572-3kqj0h.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> The GDP contribution in millions of dollars by primary industries in 2013-14. Author provided
The industries that use ecosystem services are classified as <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ANZSIC" target="_blank">primary production</a> – agriculture, forestry and water supply. This classification is comprehensive (it covers all economic activities) and mutually exclusive (there is no overlap of categories). Downstream uses of the products from agriculture, forestry and water supply are an important consideration for the industries as a whole, but are included in manufacturing industries and not in ecosystem accounts.
<h2>Older forests are more valuable</h2>
Native timber production involves clearfell harvesting (<a href="https://www.vicforests.com.au/planning-1/harvestingtypes" target="_blank">removing the majority of trees at the site</a>) and slash burning (using <a href="https://www.vicforests.com.au/planning-1/harvestingtypes" target="_blank">high-intensity fire to burn logging residue and provide an ash bed for regeneration</a>). Regenerating forests are younger, with all trees the same age, and have lower species diversity.
This means these young forests contribute less to biodiversity, carbon storage, water supply and recreation. Therefore harvesting native timber requires a trade-off between these conflicting activities.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186940/original/file-20170921-16572-1mfc03p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/186940/original/file-20170921-16572-1mfc03p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Trade-offs between industries in their use of ecosystem services can be complementary (green) or conflicting (red). Author provided
But <a href="">more than 60%</a> of the native timber harvested in the Central Highlands is used for pulp. This can be substituted by production from plantations that are more efficient and increased use of recycled paper. Both softwood and hardwood plantations can provide <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/books/9780522854190-the-forest-wars" target="_blank">substitute sawlogs</a>.
If we phased out native forest harvesting, increases in the value of water supply and carbon storage would offset the loss of A$12 million per year contributed by the industry. (It would also most likely increase profits for the tourism and plantation timber sectors.)
Older trees use less water than young regrowth, and allowing native forests to age would increase the supply of water to Melbourne’s main reservoirs by an estimated 10.5 gigalitres per year. That’s worth <a href="https://tsrhub.worldsecuresystems.com/Ecosystem%20Complete%20Report_V5_highest%20quality.pdf" target="_blank">A$8 million per year</a>. Security of water supply for the increasing population of Melbourne is an ever-present concern, particularly with projected decreases in rainfall and streamflow.
Older forests also <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092180091300030X" target="_blank">store more carbon</a> than younger regrowth forests. The federal government’s Emission Reduction Fund does not recognise native forest management as an eligible activity for <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/government/emissions-reduction-fund" target="_blank">carbon trading</a>, but if this changed the forest could earn carbon credits worth A$13 million per year. This would provide an ongoing and low-cost source of carbon abatement, which could be used to meet Australia’s emissions reduction targets, while the Victorian government could use the money gained to support an industry transition.
Of course, economic benefit is only one way of looking at land. We know that the Central Highlands is home to unique flora and fauna that cannot be replaced (much of which is <a href="https://tsrhub.worldsecuresystems.com/Ecosystem%20Complete%20Report_V5_highest%20quality.pdf" target="_blank">increasingly under threat</a>). But careful environmental accounting can help explicitly define the various trade-offs of different activities.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/84357/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">It’s particularly important when legacy industries – like native timber harvesting – are no longer environmentally or economically viable. The accounting reveals the current mix of benefits and costs, allowing management of this area to be reconsidered.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heather-keith-145929" target="_blank">Heather Keith</a>, Research Fellow in Ecology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877" target="_blank">Australian National University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-lindenmayer-4848" target="_blank">David Lindenmayer</a>, Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877" target="_blank">Australian National University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-vardon-165459" target="_blank">Michael Vardon</a>, Visiting Fellow at the Fenner School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877" target="_blank">Australian National University</a>
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/money-cant-buy-me-love-but-you-can-put-a-price-on-a-tree-84357">original article</a>.
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Money can't buy me love, but you can put a price on a tree

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Mortgagees have sold a four-bedroom weatherboard for $169,000 at Stanhope in Victoria's north central district.
The property at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-stanhope-125981422" target="_blank">2 Ross Court</a> had country style verandahs.
Set behind a picket fence, the home came with a renovated kitchen.
It was sold by Peter Cardamone.
It last sold at $117,000 in 2003.
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Stanhope mortgagee offering sells for $169,000

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Landlord insurance will go up after the Andrews' Government pet policy for tenants is introduced in Victoria next year.
Canstar says most exisiting landlord insurances don't include covering damage from pets.
"Landlords should check with their insurer to see if they’re covered, before allowing pets at their property," one industry adviser recently stressed.
“Before allowing pets at your property, it’s a good idea to establish a pet agreement between you and your tenant,” they said.
“You should also outline the consequences if a tenant fails to meet their obligations.”
It is recommended property managers closely monitor whether animals are present at the property by conducting regular property inspections.
Landlord insurance is an absolute must for property investors, providing financial security against damage, rent defaults or theft.
"Landlords need to be wary of getting a cheap landlord insurance policy with lots of exclusions," Canstar noted. 
The Canstar tables below show the median rental income, average insurance costs, and percentage of rental income across capital cities in Australia. The costs are based on a landlord insurance policy with $300,000 of building insurance cover (for houses) and $25,000 of contents insurance (for both houses and units). 
<table class="table table-responsive table-hover"><tbody>
<tr>
<th width="153">Location</th>
<th width="153">Median Annual Rental Income</th>
<th width="153">Average Annual Insurance Premium</th>
<th width="153">Percentage of Income spent on Insurance</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="153">Sydney</td>
<td width="153">$27,560
 
($530/week)
</td>
<td width="153">$1,160.53</td>
<td width="153">4.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="153">Melbourne</td>
<td width="153">$20,800
 
($400/week)
</td>
<td width="153">$928.07</td>
<td width="153">4.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="153">Brisbane</td>
<td width="153">$20,800
 
($400/week)
</td>
<td width="153">$1,112.37</td>
<td width="153">5.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="153">Adelaide</td>
<td width="153">$18,460
 
($355/week)
</td>
<td width="153">$891.82</td>
<td width="153">4.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="153">Perth</td>
<td width="153">$20,280
 
($390/week)
</td>
<td width="153">$939.41</td>
<td width="153">4.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="153">Hobart</td>
<td width="153">$18,200
 
($350/week)
</td>
<td width="153">$836.91</td>
<td width="153">4.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4" width="612">
Source: Average premiums from CANSTAR – Landlord Insurance star ratings report.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 In Sydney insurance costs 4.3% of rental income.
The price of insurance in Melbourne equates to 4.2% of income.
Hobart is the cheapest place for insuring an investment property, for houses (above) and apartments (below).
<table class="table table-responsive table-hover"><tbody>
<tr>
<th>Location</th>
<th>Median Annual Rental Income</th>
<th>Average Annual Insurance Premium</th>
<th>Percentage of Income spent on Insurance</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sydney</td>
<td>$27,300
 
($525/week)
</td>
<td>$419.25</td>
<td>1.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Melbourne</td>
<td>$19,760
 
($380/week)
</td>
<td>$335.49</td>
<td>1.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brisbane</td>
<td>$19,760
 
($380/week)
</td>
<td>$396.99</td>
<td>2.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Adelaide</td>
<td>$14,820
 
($285/week)
</td>
<td>$316.61</td>
<td>2.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Perth</td>
<td>$17,420
 
($335/week)
</td>
<td>$347.55</td>
<td>2.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hobart</td>
<td>$14,820
 
($285/week)
</td>
<td>$307.57</td>
<td>2.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">
Source: Average premiums from CANSTAR – Landlord Insurance star ratings report.
 
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
The NSW Left faction of the Labor Opposition has also been considering a policy that would stop all landlords in the state from banning pets from their properties.
A proposed policy doing the rounds within the Labor Left seeks to propose an amendment to the ALP’s policy platform that “disallows ‘no pets’ clauses”, the Daily Telegraph reported earlier this year.
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Victorian government pet policy for tenants will trigger higher landlord insurance

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The Victorian government has announced reforms to the rental market.
The reforms include limiting rent increases for the same tenant to once a year. 
The government will also abolish "no specified reason" notices to vacate, and new restrictions will be placed on ending leases without a reason at the end of a lease when that lease has lasted more than one fixed term.
The State Labor Government says "a rent increase every 6 months can put strain on the hip pockets of renters."
Less frequent rent increases will help tenants manage cost of living pressures.
"Rent increases are changing from being able to be increased every 12 months instead of every 6 months," the government signalled.
"Rent increases must be reasonable.
"Tenants have the right to appeal to VCAT if they believe an increase is excessive compared with the market rent," the government announced.
Landlords will be expected to put their best foot forward from the outset of the rental process by settling on a realistic fixed price, enabling applicants to broadly rely on the advertised price when looking for their next rental property.
All landlords and agents must:
<ul>
<li>be advertised at a fixed price (no ranges or ’price plus’ advertising)</li>
<li>not invite prospective tenants to make an offer at a price higher than the fixed price (including via technology platforms)</li>
</ul>
The reforms require amendments to Residential Tenancies Act 1997. The process to amend the RTA is underway.
Victorian landlords and real estate agents risk being put on a blacklist under these state government reforms aimed at giving tenants more rights.
<div class="story-content">
Premier Daniel Andrews says the changes will also prevent blanket bans on pets in rentals, establish a commissioner for residential tenancies, and force landlords to disclose to potential tenants plans to sell.
"For too long we've had an imbalance and things have not been as fair as they should be," he told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday.
"The landlord and the agent have all the power and given how tight the market is, the tenant can't speak out and has no voice."
"The one in four Victorians that rent their home have for a long time have been owed a much fairer deal, and we are going to give it to them,'' Mr Andrews said.
The legislation will be introduced to parliament in 2018.
Consumer Affairs Minister Marlene Kairouz says potential renters will still be able to offer additional money to secure a place.
"Real estate agents will be prohibited from advertising a range for the rental price ... they have to advertise the exact amount," she said.
"If a renter really wants a property and is prepared to pay an extra $10 a week, they (agents) will be able to accept that but they're not able to solicit extra money."
The Real Estate Institute of Victoria was quickly critical of the government's plan, which it said would "significantly imbalance the market in favour of tenants".
"All landlords should reconsider whether they want to remain in the private rental market given their rights are being eroded," REIV chief executive Gil King said in a statement.
Current laws restrict any rental agreements to a maximum of five years but Premier Daniel Andrews said, when introducing reforms earlier this year, signalled under the new rules there would be no "artificial cap."
One-year leases are the norm for most renters in Victoria.
</div>
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