<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sunland-group">Sunland Group</a> has officially lodged plans for its first Gold Coast apartment project since the departure of the Abedian family from the company three years ago, unveiling a new high-rise proposal for a prominent Broadbeach corner site on Old Burleigh Road.

The application was submitted by an entity directed by Tom Jamieson, stepson of longtime Sunland leader Soheil Abedian, and Riaz Rezvanipour, brother-in-law of Sahba Abedian, Soheil’s son.

Sunland acquired the 1,283 sqm site on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue for $9.5 million late last year and is now seeking approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">42-storey tower with 81 apartments</a>.

<img alt="First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fea2946d-90ee-4cfc-babe-2a8ad5db2cb6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers.png?VersionId=BV0fihJw31nDIQ8ozY_h3GbS8mxDyhnm" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/contreras-earl-architecture">Contreras Earl Architecture</a>, the proposed tower at 99-101 Old Burleigh Road would deliver a predominantly larger-format apartment mix aimed at the owner-occupier market. Plans include 17 two-bedroom apartments, 55 three-bedroom apartments, and nine four-bedroom residences across 35 residential levels.

The development also incorporates three basement levels, four podium parking levels, two levels of communal recreation facilities, and rooftop plant and equipment. A total of 189 car spaces are proposed, significantly exceeding the 90 spaces required under the planning scheme.

The architecture adopts a sculpted, curvilinear form, with deep wraparound balconies and integrated landscaping intended to soften the tower’s vertical expression. The planning report states the building’s “slender footprint/form provides a complimentary yet varied built form within the local streetscape” and contributes to “a varied, yet ordered skyline.”

Contreras Earl noted in its Architectural Statement that from the early stages, the project addressed a fundamental challenge: how to accommodate the required residential yield while avoiding the conventional model of a tower sitting on a rigid, fully resolved parking podium.

“The most direct response would have been to consolidate parking into a singular, flat podium and extrude a repetitive tower above,” the statement said. “While efficient, this approach would result in a consolidated built form with limited engagement with the surrounding landscape and public realm.”

Instead, the conventional podium model was “deliberately rejected”. The architects described the base of the building as “a landscaped architectural condition where structure, planting and circulation are integrated”.

“Rather than presenting a continuous built mass, the base of the building is articulated through a series of concrete planter elements that organise the podium into a fragmented system,” the statement said. “This approach reduces the perceived bulk of the lower levels while establishing a more permeable interface with the streetscape and adjacent open space.”

<img alt="Sunland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="923fad8d-c960-4527-8fbe-975cf1ddf88d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%2010.32.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pngwb0hYOIUpq9vDw6F2EsOiVuHF3DiX" />

&nbsp;

The site sits within the High Density Residential Zone and inside the City of Gold Coast’s unrestricted “HX” building height area, where the planning framework anticipates intensified residential development tied to the expanding light rail corridor. The planning report notes the area is undergoing “transition toward more intense development forms” given its proximity to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, and high-frequency public transport infrastructure.

Positioned directly opposite Broadbeach Park and within walking distance of Florida Gardens light rail station, the development would sit among a rapidly evolving stretch of Old Burleigh Road that has become one of the Gold Coast’s most active apartment development corridors.

The application joins a growing pipeline of luxury residential projects reshaping Broadbeach, including nearby developments by 5Point Projects, Polycell, and Graya.

The planning report argues the project contributes toward the Gold Coast’s long-term housing targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which forecasts the need for more than 100,000 additional high-rise dwellings across the city by 2046.

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The Abedian family departed Sunland Group in late 2023, ending a four-decade association with the company, and subsequently established the private development firm Abedian &amp; Co. The group is currently delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/greenmount-residences-cnr-hill-street-and-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Greenmount Residences</a> at Rainbow Bay and recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/18-mary-avenue-14-18-mary-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">18 Mary Avenue</a> in Broadbeach.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach new apartment market with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development&nbsp;of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.&nbsp;

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority,&nbsp;an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ed71eb9-d8e8-4fa7-b9d1-de4531dcf2f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%209.42.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IDryFIbped9SNDg72LEN_EecvhUsOPvp" />

The Minns Labor Government has also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name. This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just five minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

An early works program is taking shape, which&nbsp;includes the first stages of an international design competition.&nbsp;

The aim of the Bays West&nbsp;International&nbsp;Design Competition is to&nbsp;ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an&nbsp;urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of&nbsp;this&nbsp;former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential&nbsp;neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.&nbsp;

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that&nbsp;will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said the establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”&nbsp;

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

Bays West Delivery Authority established to "turbocharge" Sydney’s newest suburb

Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Fitzroy apartments

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The April 2020 Lending to Households and Business figures, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, show the value of loans for housing fell by 5.0 per cent (in seasonally adjusted terms), with the decrease being driven by owner occupiers purchase of existing dwellings, according to the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA).
“The value of new loan commitments for both owner occupiers and investors displayed the largest fall in twelve months and the purchase of existing dwellings experienced the largest fall in over a decade,” said Mr Adrian Kelly, President of the REIA.
“Not surprisingly ABS reports that lending institutions have indicated that COVID-19 impacts were being seen through both reduced demand from borrowers and tighter lending criteria. What is more sobering is that ABS says COVID-19 operational impacts experienced by some lending institutions resulted in a backlog of March housing loan applications being processed in April, which moderated the April fall in loan commitments.”
The total number of owner occupier first home buyer loan commitments dropped by 3.8 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms but the proportion of first home buyers, as part of the total owner-occupied housing finance commitments was 36.7 per cent. 
Despite the fall in new commitments for first home buyers, the series is 20.2 per cent higher than the most recent low point in December 2018.
“Feedback from agents suggests that worse is yet to come on housing finance figures as restrictions on movements throughout May and caution about the economy impact on activity in the housing market,” concluded Mr Kelly.
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Value of loans fell by 12 month high: REIA

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The number of loans to owner occupiers for established homes fell by 6.3 per cent during April 2020. 
The ABS today released monthly data tracking lending activity including lending within the residential property market – for both new and existing homes purchased by owner occupiers, investors and businesses.  
Home loans approved in April largely reflect loan applications initiated in previous months. The modest decline in finance approvals in April reflects processing delays due to COVID.
Housing finance across the market fell by 5.0 per cent in the month of April. While activity in the housing market slowed considerably in April the housing finance data remained elevated as lenders worked through the backlog of loan applications.
Loans for the purpose of constructing a new home are yet to be affected by COVID, increasing by 2.9 per cent in April. Full finance approval is one of the final steps for homebuyers who would have made the decision to build a new home as far back as 2019.
The value of loans to investors fell by 4.2 per cent during April, and investor lending in the three months to April 2020 was 6.6 per cent lower compared to the previous three months.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2020/6/10/chart-housingfinanceapr2020.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/6/10/chart-housingfinanceapr2020.jpg" alt="">
Despite a small decline in lending to first home buyers during April, first homes buyers continue to represent 37 per cent of the owner occupier market. This is the largest proportion since 2009.
The volume of residential building activity is expected to decline throughout the rest of the year. The Government’s HomeBuilder scheme, First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and the various state stimulus programs will be important in mitigating the extent to which this downturn weighs on the post-COVID economic recovery.
Across the states, the value of loans to owner-occupiers during the three months to April 2020 was higher than the previous three months in Tasmania (4.0 per cent), New South Wales (1.2 per cent), and Victoria (0.2 per cent). Lending declined over this period in Queensland (-3.8 per cent), South Australia (-4.9 per cent), Western Australia (-1.7 per cent), the Northern Territory (-0.3 per cent) and the ACT (-2.2 per cent).
TIM REARDON is HIA’s Chief Economist
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COVID-19 yet to fully impact ABS finance data: HIA's Tim Reardon

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports on housing prices quarterly using a stratified median methodology.
This method is different to CoreLogic’s hedonic regression series; in simple terms, the stratification methodology measures price changes across a number of ‘strata’ or sub-regions before aggregating the data back to the capital city level. Generally the ABS and CoreLogic measures show very similar trends over time, however, the CoreLogic series is more timely (one day in arrears), higher frequency (monthly rather than quarterly) and provided across small regions as well as quartile and decile based valuation cohorts.
Overall, the ABS reported a 2.4% rise in residential property prices across the combined capital cities over the September quarter. In comparison, the CoreLogic index for the September quarter reported a 2.2% lift in capital city housing values over the same period of time.
Across each of the state capitals, the ABS has reported a slightly stronger result on price growth relative to the CoreLogic index, while quarterly results for Darwin and Canberra were higher on the CoreLogic method. The broad trends from the ABS mirror those already reported by CoreLogic more than two months ago.
Sydney and Melbourne are leading the recovery trend with housing values up 3.6% over the quarter, with a softer growth trend across most of the smaller capitals while Adelaide, Perth and Darwin values drifted lower.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/12/13/ABS%20VS%20CL.JPG" alt="">
Sydney
The ABS reported a 3.6% rise in Sydney housing values over the quarter compared with a 3.5% rise in the CoreLogic index.
The growth trend is skewed towards houses (+4.0%) compared with the unit sector (+2.8%). Since the September quarter, the CoreLogic index has continued to gather pace, with November results showing Sydney housing values rose at their fastest monthly pace since 1988.
Melbourne
Housing values were 3.6% higher over the September quarter, according to the ABS, compared with a reported 3.4% rise based on the CoreLogic home value index results for the same quarter. The ABS shows very little difference in the performance of houses compared with units, with the quarterly results up 3.7% and 3.6% respectively.
The two months following September have seen Melbourne’s rebound remaining strong. Based on CoreLogic’s monthly series, Melbourne dwelling values were up a further 4.5% over the two months ending November.
Brisbane
The growth trend across Brisbane has been mild compared with the rebound in Sydney and Melbourne. The ABS reports a 0.7% rise in Brisbane housing values over the September quarter, compared with a 0.5% rise based on CoreLogic data.
Brisbane’s detached housing market has recorded a slightly higher quarterly growth rate relative to the unit sector, with values up 0.9% for houses and 0.4% for units. The October and November results from CoreLogic show the Brisbane housing market to be gathering some pace, with values up 1.6% in total over the most recent two months.
Adelaide
Adelaide’s housing market has been weakening since moving through a peak rate of growth in the December quarter of 2016 and slipping into negative price movements in the first quarter of 2019. The September quarter data from the ABS shows a subtle improvement in the rate of decline, with values down 0.3%, compared with a 0.6% decline reported by CoreLogic for the same period.
The trends were similar between the broad product types, with house values down 0.3% over the quarter and unit values down 0.4%. The monthly data from CoreLogic showed Adelaide home values moving back into positive monthly growth, with values up 0.9% over the two months ending November.
Perth
The ABS reported further slippage in Perth home values, down 1.2% over the quarter compared with a 1.9% fall reported by CoreLogic for the same period. The ABS has reported a 1.0% rise in Perth unit values over the quarter and a 1.7% fall in house values.
The monthly CoreLogic series has reported a further improvement in the rate of decline across the Perth market in October, followed by a month-onmonth rise of 0.4% in November, suggesting the Perth housing market is likely moving through the bottom of what has been a very long downturn.
Hobart
The ABS have reported a 1.3% rise in Hobart housing values over the quarter; a stronger result than CoreLogic’s index which was up 0.4% for the quarter. The rise in the ABS series was almost entirely attributable to higher house values (+1.5%) while unit values were relatively flat (+0.1%) over the quarter.
The monthly updates from CoreLogic post-September have shown further strength in Hobart housing values, with the hedonic index up a total of 3.2% over the past two months.
Darwin
Darwin housing values have been in decline since 2014, with the ABS reporting a further 1.2% fall over the September quarter, which was a slightly larger decline than the CoreLogic index, which was down 1.1%. The Darwin unit sector was the biggest drag on the market, down 2.6% over the quarter compared with a 0.6% fall in house values.
CoreLogic has continued to report a fall in Darwin values over the past two months, however the quarterly rate of decline is showing an easing trend.
Canberra
The ABS reported a 0.5% slip in Canberra dwelling prices over the September quarter, while CoreLogic figures were up 1.4%. Based on ABS data, the growth in Canberra home prices was a attributable to a 2.4% rise in unit values which more than offset a 1.4% fall in house values.
Since September, CoreLogic has reported a further 2.2% lift in Canberra housing values, with the index up for both house and unit values over the most recent two months.
 Differences between the indices can be explained by a number of factors.
Although both index providers utilise the same source data (CoreLogic supplies the record level data that powers the ABS residential property price index), the methodologies for cleaning and filtering the underlying transaction data are likely to be very different, and there are also likely to be differences in how property types are derived (houses v units).
Of course there are also the pure methodological differences with the ABS utilising a stratified median while CoreLogic prefers a hedonic regression series.
Despite the differences, its clear that over time both series show very similar trends. The housing market is clearly on a strong recovery path in the largest cities and growth is now rippling out to many of the smaller capital cities.
TIM LAWLESS is the CoreLogic head of research
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Comparing ABS and CoreLogic housing data: Tim Lawless

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Residential property prices rose 2.4 per cent in the September quarter 2019, the strongest quarterly growth since the December quarter 2016, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).  Sydney and Melbourne residential property prices recorded strong growth in the September quarter 2019. Property prices rose in Sydney (+3.6 per cent), Melbourne (+3.6 per cent), Brisbane (+0.7 per cent) and Hobart (+1.3 per cent).  House prices rose 4.0 per cent in Sydney and 3.7 per cent in Melbourne while attached dwelling prices rose 2.8 per cent in Sydney and 3.6 per cent in Melbourne. ABS Chief Economist Bruce Hockman said the increase in property prices is in line with housing market indicators, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne. 
"New lending commitments to households, auction clearance rates and sales transactions all improved during the September quarter."  Residential property prices fell 3.7 per cent in the year to the September quarter 2019, with all capital cities except Hobart recording falls. This is a noticeable improvement on the 7.4 per cent annual fall in the June quarter 2019.  The total value of Australia’s 10.4 million residential dwellings rose by $189.9 billion to $6,869.4 billion in the September quarter 2019. The mean price of residential dwellings in Australia is now $660,800.
The number of residential dwellings rose by 43,300 to 10,395,200.
 
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Residential property prices up 2.4 percent in September quarter: ABS

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The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped from 5.3 per cent to 5.2 per cent in September, according to figures released today by the ABS.
Seasonally adjusted employment increased by 14,700 people to 12,944,000.
The underlying composition of the net change was an increase of 26,200 people in full-time employment and a decrease of 11,400 people in part-time employment. 
Since September 2018, full-time employment increased by 191,700 people, while part-time employment increased by 119,900 people.
Australia's trend unemployment rate however remained at 5.3 per cent, in line with economic forecasts.
Alex Joiner, economist at IFM, says the positive figures might buy the RBA some time if the third quarter CPI doesn't disappoint later this month.
New South Wales saw its unemployment rate tick up from 4.3 per cent to 4.5 per cent, while Victoria's dropped from 4.9 per cent to 4.7 per cent.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/10/17/September%20unemployment.jpg" alt="">
The biggest mover in September was South Australia, whose soaring unemployment rate dropped from 7.3 per cent to 6.3 per cent.
Over the past year, trend employment increased by about 300,000 people (2.4 per cent), which continued to be above the average annual growth over the past 20 years (two per cent).
Full-time employment increased by 2.1 per cent and part-time employment increased by 2.9 per cent over the past year.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

RBA breathe sigh of relief as seasonally adjusted unemployment nudges lower

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EXPERT OBSERVERS
In low-rent outer suburbs, almost one in six households could not afford to keep their house cool and went without meals.<a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/ashkelon-july-30a-poor-man-looks-116883439?src=pz36NnyfTHFCIB6ziBOFUg-1-1&amp;studio=1"> </a>
Private renting continues to expand at the expense of home ownership, newly released <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4130.0%7E2017-18%7EMedia%20Release%7EMore%20households%20renting%20as%20home%20ownership%20falls%20(Media%20Release)%7E10" target="_blank">ABS statistics</a> show. More than one in four Australians (27%) are now tenants of a private landlord (2017-18). Only one in five lived in private rental housing in 1997-98.
<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14036096.2018.1467964" target="_blank">Our research</a> looked at private renters in middle and inner suburbs and low-rent outer suburbs (200 private renters in each area, 600 in total) in Sydney and Melbourne. Geographical differences in income sources and deprivation rates might be expected. However, the variations in <a href="https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/Report12_07_Deprivation_and_exclusion_in_Australia.pdf" target="_blank">financial stress</a> revealed by our study were startling. In low-rent outer suburbs, much higher proportions, for example, went without meals or had to pawn or sell something to get by.
<h2>Household incomes</h2>
Not surprisingly, tenants in the inner/middle suburb areas and the (low-rent) outer areas had a very different profile of income sources, as Table 1 shows.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285969/original/file-20190729-43109-1yvajhm.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/285969/original/file-20190729-43109-1yvajhm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> Author provided
In areas with medium and high rents, wages or salaries were the main source of income for more than four out of five respondents (83%). In the outer suburban, low-rent areas, this was true for barely half (56%). A third relied mainly on state pensions or benefits.
In more than a quarter of tenant households (28%) in low-rent areas at least one member was an unemployed job-seeker. Only 8% of households in the medium/high-rent areas included an unemployed member.
Finally, once again indicating the typically more deprived situation of the outer suburb group, a much greater proportion of these tenants, 62%, received Commonwealth Rent Assistance compared to 21% in the other areas.
<h2>Signs of financial stress</h2>
Respondents were asked: “Over the past year, have any of the following happened to you/your household because of a shortage of money?”
We <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14036096.2018.1467964" target="_blank">found levels of financial stress</a> varied greatly between areas. Among low-rent (outer suburban) tenants almost two-thirds (63%) experienced at least one of the eight possible financial stress indicators listed in Table 2. That’s twice the proportion for the inner/middle-area cohort (32%).
Benchmarking both of these figures against the nationwide rate of 20% (based on the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/subscriber.nsf/log?openagent&amp;HECS%20additional%20tables.xls&amp;4670.0&amp;Data%20Cubes&amp;4C08051315A91B1ACA257C6F000EC23C&amp;0&amp;2012&amp;24.02.2014&amp;Latest" target="_blank">all-tenure national comparator on the incidence of financial hardship</a>) illustrates the pervasiveness of economic stress among private renters in all areas of our major capital cities. But in outer suburban low-rent areas of Sydney and Melbourne the risk of financial hardship is more than three times the national norm among tenants. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08111146.2016.1272449" target="_blank">Our earlier research</a> also noted this.
Comparing the two tenant groups revealed statistically significant differences on every financial hardship indicator – see Table 2.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285972/original/file-20190729-43114-iry4ai.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/285972/original/file-20190729-43114-iry4ai.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> Author provided
Strikingly, almost one in six households living in low-rent areas went without meals. A similar proportion had to pawn or sell something to get by.
One in three tenants in these areas turned to family and friends for financial help. Almost one in four (23%) sought help from a welfare or community organisation.
Exposure to multiple forms of financial stress indicators was also much greater in low-rent areas. One in five (19%) tenants here reported enduring four or more financial stress indicators versus 6% in medium/high-rent areas. For households in this position, damaging impacts on their quality of life and probably <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673037.2017.1344202" target="_blank">physical and mental health</a> are likely.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285974/original/file-20190729-43114-1cszm0t.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/285974/original/file-20190729-43114-1cszm0t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> Author provided
<h2>A common theme to financial stress</h2>
We found that being reliant on government benefits was associated with multiple indicators of financial stress, irrespective of area. More than one in three (37%) such households experienced four or more of the financial stress indicators. Alarmingly, poverty resulted in 26% of this grouping going without meals in the last year.
Employment status was a significant factor irrespective of area. In households where a household member was either looking for work, out of the workforce or retired, 27% of these households had four or more financial stress indicators. In households where at least one person was employed full-time, only 5% had four or more stress indicators.
The ongoing trend of increasing housing cost pressures on lower-income Australians over the past decade provides the context for the high incidence of financial stress, particularly among tenants in low-rent areas of Sydney and Melbourne. <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4130.0%7E2017-18%7EMedia%20Release%7EMore%20households%20renting%20as%20home%20ownership%20falls%20(Media%20Release)%7E10" target="_blank">Latest ABS data</a> reveal that, for the least affluent fifth of households, typical spending on housing increased from 23% of income to 29% over that period. In contrast, typical spending on housing by the top fifth was unchanged at 10%.
<h2>The case for increasing benefits</h2>
Our study brings home that <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7269/" target="_blank">everyday life is an enormous battle</a> on various fronts for many benefit-reliant and other low-income tenants in Sydney and Melbourne. Even if they can find a tenancy in a low-rent area to keep housing costs down, their likelihood of after-housing poverty, including <a href="https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/columns/spinifex/energy-poverty-urgently-end-2/" target="_blank">energy poverty</a>, is high.
At the most extreme end of the scale are the one in five tenants in the outer low-rent areas (one in ten across all three areas) who experienced severe financial stress (four or more indicators of financial stress). After paying for their housing, many of them lack money for essentials.
Being located on the urban fringe, and therefore often remote from services and/or employment, compounds such hardship. Not surprisingly, the incidence of financial stress is highest among government benefit recipients. This finding highlights the urgent need to increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance to offset some of their housing costs, and also to increase key income support payments, such as <a href="https://www.acoss.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Raise-the-Rate-Explainer-1.pdf" target="_blank">Newstart and the Disability Support Pension</a>.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120427/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-morris-13337" target="_blank">Alan Morris</a>, Research Professor, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hal-pawson-147969" target="_blank">Hal Pawson</a>, Associate Director - City Futures - Urban Policy and Strategy, City Futures Research Centre, Housing Policy and Practice, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kath-hulse-228874" target="_blank">Kath Hulse</a>, Research Professor, Centre for Urban Transitions, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767" target="_blank">Swinburne University of Technology</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/violet-xia-781289" target="_blank">Violet Xia</a>, Research Associate, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/private-renters-are-doing-it-tough-in-outer-suburbs-of-sydney-and-melbourne-120427" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Private renters are doing it tough in outer suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne

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There was data out earlier this month showing that Australian renters devote more of their income to housing than home owners.
It was not one of those reports suggesting the wisdom of buying over renting, but rather an insight into the struggle of many to keep housing over their heads.
On average, private renters paid 20% of their income on their housing costs, compared to 16% for owners with a mortgage.
It was 3% for households who owned their home outright across Australia.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics calculated housing costs as including rent payments; rate payments (water and general); and mortgage or unsecured loan payments if the initial purpose of the loan was primarily to buy, add, or alter the dwelling.
CoreLogic head of research Cameron Kusher noted the 16% share has been trending lower for mortgage holder since it peaked in 2005-06 at 19%.
The decline basically reflects the ongoing drop in mortgage rates to their current historic low levels.
The renters spending 20% of their income on housing costs was only slightly lower than it was two years earlier.
Kusher notes the circumstance reflects that renters typically have lower gross household incomes than those with a mortgage, hence paying a greater proportion on their housing outlay.
The mortgage holders have also been in a situation of reducing their debt payments over time as they pay down their loan.
The recent ABS data indicated it was the lower income households that spent an even greater proportion of their household income on housing.
On average, lower income households renting privately paid $339 per week nationally which was 32% of their gross weekly income.
Lower income households who owned their home with a mortgage paid on average $376 per week nationally which was 29% of their gross weekly income.
In New South Wales, 35% of NSW households are renting and some 35% own with a mortgage.
Some 30% owned in NSW without a mortgage, down from 32% in 2015–16.
NSW owners without a mortgage paid $48 a week on average.
NSW owners with a mortgage paid $508 per week, or 15% of gross weekly household income.
NSW renters paid $422 per week, or 21% of gross weekly household income.
The median mortgage outstanding in NSW was $265,000, which isn't that much above the the median mortgage in Australia which is $260,000, up from $238,000 in 2015–16.
There's always been reports that grab headlines suggesting the Sydney suburbs where it was cheaper to pay down a mortgage on a house than to rent one.
But these days they virtually don't exist.
Indeed even our regional areas are failing to offer relief for renters.
There was a recent snapshot of the 70,000 rental properties available across Australia by the advocacy group Anglicare Australia that found only 4% were affordable for households on government income support payments. 
“Making sure everyone has a home should be our first priority," says Anglicare Australia executive director Kasy Chambers.
"We need a national plan to make renting fair for a generation of people who might never own their own home.
"For too many people, paying the rent means they can’t afford to eat decent food, fill a prescription, pay for transport, or buy clothes."
Chambers fears this matters enormously for the 660,000 people on the aged pension who do not own their own home.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Neither renting or buying is an affordable option for low income earners

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Residential property prices fell an average of 3% across all eight capital cities in the March quarter, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
It was up from the 2.4% property price decline in the previous three months of 5.4%.
Every capital city saw falls in property prices, with Sydney posting the sharpest fall of 3.9%, and Melbourne at 3.8%, the report said.
In Adelaide, property prices fell 0.2%, and in Hobart, prices dropped 0.4%, making for the first property price falls in the two state capitals in at least six years.
In Darwin, residential property prices fell 1.8%, and in Brisbane, they dropped 1.5%.
That was followed by a 1.1% decline in Perth, while in Canberra prices retreated 0.9%, the ABS said.
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Every capital city saw residential property prices fall in March quarter: ABS

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National residential property prices fell 3 per cent in the March quarter 2019, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Every capital city recorded falls in their property prices in the March quarter 2019, with the larger property markets of Sydney (-3.9 per cent) and Melbourne (-3.8 per cent) continuing to observe the largest falls.
The Bureau of Statistics also reported that the number of established house and attached home transfers in Sydney fell to 12,161 in the March quarter – the lowest level since March 2002.
In the March quarter 2019, property prices in Adelaide (-0.2 per cent) and Hobart (-0.4 per cent) recorded their first falls since March quarter 2013 and September quarter 2012 respectively. Falls were also recorded in Brisbane (-1.5 per cent), Perth (-1.1 per cent), Canberra (-0.9 per cent) and Darwin (-1.8 per cent).
Click <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/19/17%20year%20low.JPG" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/6/19/17%20year%20low.JPG" alt="">
ABS Chief Economist, Bruce Hockman said, "these results are in line with soft housing market indicators, with sales transactions and auction clearance rates lower than one year ago, and days on market trending higher."
"A continuation of tight credit supply and reduced demand from investors and owner occupiers has contributed to weakness in property prices in all capital cities this quarter," he said.  Through the year growth in property prices fell 10.3 per cent in Sydney and 9.4 per cent in Melbourne. Adelaide (0.8 per cent) and Hobart (4.6 per cent) are the only capital cities recording positive through the year growth. The total value of Australia's 10.3 million residential dwellings fell by $172.7 billion to $6.6 trillion in the March quarter 2019. 
The average price for a home in Australia is now $636,900, and the total value of residential dwellings has fallen for four consecutive quarters, down from $6,957.2 billion in the March quarter 2018.
Residential dwellings prices has now fallen for five consecutive quarters, down from an average of $689,700 in the December quarter 2017.
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Sydney's residential sales activity at 17 year low: ABS

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The Australian economy grew 0.4 per cent in seasonally adjusted chain volume terms in the March quarter 2019, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today. 
Ryan Felsman at CommSec said the economy has lost momentum.
"The annual growth rate is the weakest since September 2009.
"Like other advanced economies, output has slowed since mid-2018 as US-China trade tensions weigh on global growth. But domestic demand has also slowed, as evidenced by low inflation.    
"And soft consumer spending is the main culprit.
"Household incomes are being squeezed due to a combination of modest wages growth and increasing taxes paid due to ‘bracket creep’ (where taxpayers are pushed into higher income tax brackets).
"The negative ‘wealth effect’ from the property downturn is encouraging Aussies to deleverage amid elevated household debt, crimping consumption."
Felsman said the Reserve Bank cut interest rates to fresh record lows of 1.25 per cent yesterday and "appears likely to reduce interest rates to at least 1 per cent."
Chief Economist for the ABS, Bruce Hockman, said the economy continues to grow as we head towards twenty eight years of sustained growth. Government spending was the main contributor to growth reflecting ongoing delivery of services in disability, health and aged care.  Household spending slowed and contributed a modest 0.1 per cent to growth reflecting reduced spending on discretionary goods such as furnishing and household equipment, recreation and culture and hotels, cafes and restaurants.  Dwelling investment continued to detract this quarter. The slowing housing market has resulted in significant falls in ownership transfer costs, particularly stamp duty.   “The Australian economy continues to grow but more slowly than our long term average of 3.5 per cent," Hockman said.
Economist Alex Joiner said the Australian economy remains in a per capita GDP recession with the third consecutive quarterly decline in real GDP per capita.
Commentator Callum Pickering noted Australia has to go all the way back to 2009 - the height of the global financial crisis - to see softer growth.
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