A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

Joel Robinson

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5427]

The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Skymark takes out 10-year Resilience Insurance LDI at Solis Cronulla

Crowdfunding

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GUEST OBSERVATION
If not for the public’s generosity, the iconic Statue of Liberty might not have the solid and impressive footing she does today. In the late 1800s, government funds for the monument were exhausted. Yet through a fundraising campaign, the New York World newspaper garnered support from over 160,000 residents to cover the pedestal costs.
Just as large monuments need solid bases to ensure their long-term existence, so too does the environment. In the case of nature conservation, it requires money to support diverse research projects, on-ground activities, and outreach aimed at protecting and managing species and habitats.
While the health of the environment continues to decline globally, in most regions government funding falls short of what is required to stem the losses. Crowdfunding plays an important and under-appreciated role for biodiversity conservation.
Our new research presents a global analysis of how crowdfunding, still a relatively novel and minor financial mechanism in the conservation community, is contributing to conservation around the world.
Show me the money. What’s being funded and why?
Crowdfunding offers a powerful mechanism for mobilising resources for conservation across borders. We recorded 577 conservation-oriented projects (from 72 crowdfunding platforms), which have raised around US$4.8 million since 2009. The people leading these projects were based in 38 countries, but projects took place across 80 countries.
This pattern has important implications for conservation, because there is often a mismatch between high-priority areas for global conservation and countries with the greatest financial and technical capacity. For instance, we discovered that a third of the projects were delivered in different countries to where their proponents were based. The USA, UK and Australia were the countries with the highest outflow of projects (“project exporters”). Indonesia, South Africa, Costa Rica and Mexico had the highest inflow (“project importers”).
<iframe src="https://greenfirescience.carto.com/builder/c1a70aca-e978-4db7-8e1b-063a590dccf9/embed" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="520"></iframe>Global distribution of crowdfunding for biodiversity conservation: countries where relevant platforms are based, countries where proponents of projects are hosted, and countries where projects are delivered. (Interactive map generated using CARTO)
Crowdfunding could be supporting conservation work of actors that do not have as much capacity for raising funds.
The people leading projects were primarily from non-governmental organisations (35%) or universities (30%), or were freelancers (26%). Importantly, among non-governmental organisations, we discovered organisations operating at sub-national levels proposed a majority of projects.
Additionally, crowdfunding for conservation is not all about research. While most of the projects we reviewed focused on research (40%), many tackled raising awareness of conservation-related issues (31%) or boots-on-the-ground activities (21%). This expands the sphere of anecdotal evidence and commentary about crowdfunding related to conservation, which has so far revolved around research. For the first time, we’ve systematically unpacked how these funds are being used for additional activities to support conservation.
Crowdfunding can also support innovative projects that traditional funding agencies deem too risky or unconventional. For example, one project supported buying and training two Maremma sheepdogs to protect penguins against predatory foxes in southeastern Australia. (That might sound familiar to those who’ve seen the movie Oddball.)
Such opportunities for innovation can have important consequences for conservation worldwide; crowdfunding could be considered an incubator for novel ideas before widespread dissemination.
More than half of the projects we recorded (around 58%) largely focused on species. These included a disproportionate number of threatened bird and mammal species.
Prominent projects to save orange-bellied parrots or Papua New Guinea’s endangered tree kangaroos are important success stories.
This is not to underplay crowdfunding’s importance for ecosystems – whether land-based (20%), marine (9%) or freshwater (4%). Crowfunding is supporting projects ranging from protection of wilderness areas in remote Tasmania to research informing the conservation of the Californian coast.
Crowdfunding benefits extend beyond dollars and cents
The amount of money for conservation via crowdfunding has so far been relatively modest compared to more traditional conservation finance mechanisms. However, the benefits of crowdfunding extend well beyond dollars and cents. Crowdfunding helps communicate environmental issues and empower researchers and communities.
The figure below shows the reach of a single tweet during the Big Roo Count campaign. It shows how conservation-related messages can spread widely and engage communities via social media.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/220580/original/file-20180528-80640-1fmpk6j.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Example tweet (1777 tweets, 512 users) network during the Big Roo Count crowdfunding campaign. Stuart Palmer
Crowdfunding is an exciting new tool in the conservation toolbox. But, ultimately, traditional funding sources, like government agencies, still have a major role and duty to invest adequately in environmental protection and nature conservation. Considering the current extinction crisis, governments must avoid further outsourcing of such responsibilities.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/220560/original/file-20180528-51115-1cctcjc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Examples of conservation projects supported through crowdfunding.
The discussion over novel sources and recipients of conservation funding continues. At the same time, transparency and oversight remain critical for managing expectations and overall effectiveness of funding. Crowdfunding contributes one more building block to democratising conservation funding and increasing transparency.
Eduardo Gallo-Cajiao, PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland
Carla Archibald, PhD Candidate, Conservation Science, The University of Queensland
Euan Ritchie, Associate Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life &amp; Environmental Sciences, Deakin University
Rachel Friedman, PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland
Richard Fuller, Professor in Biodiversity and Conservation, The University of Queensland
Rochelle Steven, Postdoctoral Researcher, The University of Queensland
Tiffany Morrison, Principal Research Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/crowdfunded-campaigns-are-conserving-the-earths-environment-97312" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Crowdfunded campaigns are conserving the Earth’s environment

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In another crowdfunding first, DomaCom Australia announced that the crowdfunding campaign to fund a mortgage backed loan has been successfully completed. 
Newcastle based financial advice firm Shartru Wealth Management has used the DomaCom platform to acquire a $1.6 million residential property in Melbourne using both debt and equity.
A crowdfunding campaign was completed to raise around $682K for the equity component and another campaign was completed to raise the remaining $948K debt. 
In executing both sides of the transaction, Shartru have been able to satisfy the growth needs of their accumulation clients as well as the income needs of their retiree clients with an attractive net return of 5.06% in a low risk environment.
The loan is secured by a first mortgage security on residential property with a conservative LVR of around 60%. 
Shartru CEO, Rob Coyte, said it delivered a tax effective investment for our growth-oriented clients whilst also being able to deliver an attractive income investment to our retiree clients.
"An investment option returning 5.06% and secured by first registered mortgage with a low LVR is attractive in today’s environment where retirees are lucky to receive a 2.5% return from term deposits,” he said.
DomaCom CEO, Arthur Naoumidis explained that one of the great benefits of property investment is to be able to use internal gearing to deliver long term tax effective returns.
“We are pleased we can now facilitate debt arrangements via the DomaCom platform, offering expanded opportunities for investors”
“Advisers can now fund both the equity and the debt portions of a property investment which enables them to provide the appropriate investment outcomes for both accumulation and retiree clients”.
“We are now looking forward to accelerating our FUM with these new debt facilities, particularly in the SMSF space. SMSFs can have a precise asset allocation to real property via DomaCom, including debt, without the need for a Bare Trust, limited borrowing and with all the additional administration and cost involved”.
“With a managed fund like DomaCom and with access to debt, Advisers have an internal solution to help clients access investment property and fixed interest income in line with their portfolio strategy as part of the adviser’s fee for service.
"This is something DomaCom has been working towards for three years”.
To learn more about crowdfunding, visit <a href="https://www.domacom.com.au/" target="_blank">DomaCom here</a>.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

First mortgage backed loan crowdfunded by DomaCom

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A Silicon Valley start-up that lets tenants bid against each other for rental properties - and which will likely launch in Australia this year - is seeking crowdfunding.
The apartment hunting app is currently seeking funding through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) to expand into the world of the blockchain.
The Rentberry platform is operating in over 5000 cities. So far they have processed more than 4000 applications.
Firms like Rentberry are aiming to modernize the traditional mechanism of the rental market by leveraging blockchain technology and its real time deal delivery.
It is suggested the blockchain-based transactions will bring down the cost and promote direct interaction between landlords and tenants.
Unlike many other startups jumping on the ICO bandwagon, the Dan Francisco-based Rentberry already has been fully operational since 2015, backed by a team consisting of some 23 full-time employees.
The Rentberry aim is to rethink the way rental process is organized.
But <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-VU2Z2W1dI" target="_blank">reviewer blogger Ian Balina</a> said it was a pass on him taking equity. Another, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzsoa_e4KGE" target="_blank">Tony Tian</a> has taken $20,000 stake.
The firm is raising funds from the market running from December 5 2017 to January 26, 2018. Alex Lubinsky, a former investment banking executive who founded and real estate owner  turned entrepreneur is the CEO.
With renting increasingly the new normal for many, many innovative fintech companies are come up with new wats.
An Australian product, called Trustbond and created by the startup Traity, lets tenants avoid paying a traditional bond and instead pay a premium, which is a proportion of the rent paid for the term of the lease.
The innovative fintech company has partnered with landlord insurance specialist Terri Scheer Insurance to launch Trustbond.
Trustbond provides security to landlord without freezing the savings of tenants in a rental bond using world-first technology that "will ensure trustworthy Australians save thousands of dollars."
A traditional bond is a large sum that is tied up for the duration of the lease while Trustbond will allows tenant to pay a relatively small fee upfront to cover the protection their landlord required.
The Trustbond system will also allow estate agents and landlords to determine a person’s suitability as a tenant while providing landlords with the same level of protection as a traditional cash bond.
Trustbond is being launched initially in South Australia and it is expected will roll out to other states in the coming months. In NSW around 80,000 residential rental bonds, totalling $1.31 billion are held by the NSW Rental Bond Board.
The new product is marketed as a five step process:
<ul>
<li>Go to <a href="https://www.trustbond.com" target="_blank">www.trustbond.com</a>
</li>
<li>Prove you are a trustworthy tenant by building your reputation profile</li>
<li>Replace the cash bond with a Trustbond</li>
<li>Share the Trustbond with your real estate agent or landlord for their agreement</li>
<li>Keep your cash in your pocket for when you need it most</li>
</ul>
Trustbond measures trustworthiness using online data including networks, ratings and reviews from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Airbnb, eBay and Uber to determine a tenant’s TrustScore.
Once eligibility has been established, the tenant pays an upfront fee that is a percentage of what a conventional rental bond would cost.
As a traditional cash bond might require a tenant to pay $2000, with Trustbond, the tenant might pay around $250 that still covers their landlord for the $2000, freeing up $1750 for the tenant.
The inspiration for Trustbond came from the Traity CEO, Juan Cartagena's own experience of renting property.
As a new resident of the United States with no local rental or employment history, landlords were requesting rental cash bonds of up to $14,000.
He was untrusted as a foreigner, and his landlords requested very expensive bonds as they did not have enough information to trust him.
“Trustbond recognises a person’s digital profile as an asset, putting money back in tenants’ pockets to spend on the things that matter to them,” Traity executive Will Soutar, said.
 
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Rentberry seeks out the blockchain to unite tenants and landlords

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Fractional property investment company DomaCom has entered into an agreement to integrate its property sub-funds into IRESS XPLAN via the EPI data feed.
On the DomaCom platform, properties are segregated into separate sub-funds issued with an APIR identifying code enabling financial advisers to include DomaCom sub-fund investments into their client portfolio reports.
Commenting, the CEO of DomaCom, Arthur Naoumidis, said: “When bringing a ground breaking platform like DomaCom to market it’s essential to align with key systems and processes to create a smooth transition to integrate into the adviser’s business process.
"IRESS’ XPLAN is the most widely used financial planning software and this integration will expose DomaCom to many more planners affording us the opportunity to demonstrate the value that it can bring to a planner’s role.
"The integration is a significant development for DomaCom and recognition that our fractional investment model is gaining more acceptance across the industry. Where else can advisers achieve perfect asset allocation to the property asset class than in a fractional model like DomaCom, and we are the only model of our type”.
DomaCom say that advisers confront several issues in advising on property investment, key among them specific asset selection and PI insurance cover which generally precludes property advice.
DomaCom say this can be avoided by engaging professional property advisers to short list suitable properties in much the same way as stockbrokers are engaged to construct equity portfolios. 
The advice provided by the financial planner therefore is based on the DomaCom Fund, a Managed Investment Scheme, rather than on a specific property , which is selected by a professional property adviser.
The DomaCom Fund is currently on 44 AFSL Approved Product Lists that give access to the Fund to about 1200 advisers.
To read more about DomaCom <a href="https://domacom.com.au/" target="_blank">click here.</a>
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DomaCom integrates property sub-funds

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The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has licensed the first crowd-sourced funding (CSF) intermediaries under the new CSF regime.
Seven companies have been issued with Australian Financial Services (AFS) licence authorisations to act as intermediaries able to provide a crowd-sourced funding service. With the grant of these new authorisations eligible public companies will now be able to use the CSF regime to raise capital by making offers of ordinary shares to investors via the on-line platform of one of these intermediaries.
ASIC Commissioner John Price said that this marked a significant milestone for crowd-sourced funding in Australia.
‘ASIC has been assessing applications as a matter of priority, as suitable intermediaries needed to be licensed before fundraising under the new regime could commence. Intermediaries have an important gatekeeper role which will be key to building and maintaining investor trust in crowd-sourced fundraising, so we are pleased to have now issued the first tranche of authorisations,’ he said.
The CSF regime is designed to provide start-ups and small to medium sized companies with a new means to access capital to develop and grow. CSF offers are subject to fewer regulatory requirements than other forms of public fundraising.
The newly licensed intermediaries have now been added to ASIC’s register of AFS licensees. ASIC’s free online <a href="https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/RegistrySearch/faces/landing/ProfessionalRegisters.jspx?_adf.ctrl-state=97g58378a_8">search</a> can be used by investors, potential crowd-sourced funders and others to confirm the authorisations held by individual licensees. ASIC encourages both CSF investors and companies to check whether their intermediary holds an AFS licence with appropriate authorisation to provide CSF services.
ASIC has previously highlighted the importance of investors understanding both the benefits and risks of investing via crowd-sourced funding. Further information regarding crowd-funding can be found on ASIC’s <a href="https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/investing/crowd-sourced-funding">MoneySmart website</a>.
<h2>Background</h2>
On 29 September 2017 the Corporations Amendment (Crowd-sourced Funding) Act 2017 and associated regulations came into effect - establishing a regulatory framework to facilitate crowd-sourced equity funding in Australia.
One of the key objectives of the regime is to reduce the regulatory burden on smaller companies associated with raising funds from the public via the issue of ordinary shares.
ASIC has issued guidance to assist companies seeking to raise funds through CSF (<a href="http://asic.gov.au/regulatory-resources/find-a-document/regulatory-guides/rg-261-crowd-sourced-funding-guide-for-public-companies/" target="_blank">Regulatory Guide 261</a> Crowd-sourced funding: Guide for public companies (<a href="http://www.asic.gov.au/media/4491338/rg261-published-22-september-2017.pdf">RG 261</a>). ASIC has also published a template CSF offer document to help companies prepare their CSF offers.
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ASIC licenses first crowd-sourced funding intermediaries

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DomaCom Fund unit holders have approved the appointment of new trustee, Melbourne Securities Corporation, a professional trustee firm with extensive experience in fintech platforms and both debt and equity capital structures
The new trustee will pave the way for delivery of internal leverage and crowdfunding of mortgage backed loans.
New gearing capability is expected to be the catalyst for next phase of growth in FUM Fractional property investment company DomaCom (ASX:DCL).
The company is poised to introduce leverage throughout its product suite following unitholder approval today to appoint Melbourne Securities Corporation as the new Trustee of the DomaCom Fund.
DomaCom CEO Arthur Naoumidis said it opens up a significant pool of investors for DomaCom, by enabling them to incorporate debt when investing in property.
“This the final checkpoint in the approval process for DomaCom to introduce a range of new products underpinned by the ability to introduce gearing," he said.
Melbourne Securities Corporation CEO Matthew Fletcher suggested debt is integral to purchasing property.
“This will make property investment much more tax efficient for advisers and their clients, as well as reducing the amount of equity required to raise for each project.
"Given how integral debt is to purchasing property, this creates a really compelling proposition for investors and enables them to achieve a tax efficient outcome when investing in property through DomaCom.
“MSC is pleased to receive the endorsement from DomaCom Fund unitholders and is looking forward to working with DomaCom and its stakeholders.
"Complementing our trustee services to the traditional fund market, we believe in supporting innovative products such as DomaCom Fund which utilises exciting new technology to provide new and alternative investment options.”
Further Updates
DomaCom would also like to provide the following key updates:
• The Federal Court hearing on the SMSF related party/sole purpose test implications of the DomaCom Fund was held in Melbourne on 27th-28th November and we are awaiting the outcome.
• As per the AGM presentation, DomaCom is actively investigating options to shore up its capital position and will update the market around mid-December. Options being looked at include equity, debt and hybrid structures with the fall back being to revert to core operating costs.
To read more from DomaCom <a href="https://www.domacom.com.au/" target="_blank">click here.</a>
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DomaCom poised to crowdfund mortgage backed loans

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Crowdfunding company DomaCom has joined with KSI Investments for a land banking campaign in Western Sydney’s Rossmore/Badgerys Creek area.
Investors will soon be able to own units in a sub-fund of DomaCom Fund that will acquire the <a href="https://www.domacom.com.au/public-crowdfunding-campaigns/rural-properties/badgerys-creek-land-banking/?utm_content=bufferf089c&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">Rossmore/Badgerys Creek</a> land site.
The DomaCom Fund is designed so that so that any number of investors can pool in different amounts to purchase a specific property asset – such as this Rossmore/Badgerys Creek parcels of land – and reap the benefits of the increased capital value of the asset over time.
The fund expects to deliver investors with strong capital growth in about 10 years.
DomaCom’s land banking formula enables even mum-and-dad investors to acquire an area of land zoned for rural or agricultural use that will, due to growth in the urban corridor, eventually be re-zoned to residential. Previously, it was the domain of institutional investors, DomaCom says,
It works on the principle that holding the land for the long term would see the property increase in value as population/housing demand sees re-zoning occur to create new suburbs.
The current land banking assets are at 60 Devonshire Road, Rossmore, which is a 2.5 ha of land. The other is 64 Devonshire Road (2.1 ha). The total area is 4.6 ha.
The zoning is RU4 – Rural Small Holdings.
The total price is $7.56 million or $162 per sqm.
This differs from traditional land banking where most of the profit goes to the developer. Instead, through the crowdfunding model, of DomaCom and KSI Investments, “investors will be able to receive some of the expected profit that traditionally has only been available to developers,” says the campaign document.
Key features: 
1. Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek – 5km or 10 mins drive
2. Commercial hubs such as Penrith, Campbelltown, and Liverpool – 20km or 30 mins drive
3. Sydney CBD – 40km or 1 hour drive from Sydney CBD
4. Future regional centre, Leppington – 4km.  Leppington has been identified as a priority precinct by the NSW Planning Department and developments will include:
a. Train station
b. Supermarket and department store
c. Aquatic and sport centre
d. Community and cultural centres
e. A large integrated hospital
f. Employment for approx. 13,000 people
Rossmore precinct – only 2km away.  The future Rossmore precinct will also include:
a. Train station (location is currently under Government planning)
b. Supermarkets
c. 1 High school, 3 Primary schools, 3 Childcare centres and 15 General Practitioners.
The crowdfunding campaign is still being structured but applications are open for interested investors.
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DomaCom partners KSI Investments with crowdfunded campaign of Badgerys Creek sites

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Fractional property investment company DomaCom has announced that it has entered into an agreement to subscribe to the CoreLogic – Moody’s Analytics Australian Forecast Home Value Index.
This will allow DomaCom to create highly targeted research backed residential property investment strategies for Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) and direct investors.
DomaCom will initially offer a Top Australian Residential Strategy drawing on the top sector in the CoreLogic – Moody’s Analytics Australian Forecast Home Value Index, as well as a Top Australian Cities Strategy with a choice of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart or Darwin.
DomaCom CEO Arthur Naoumidis said the move is a step change in the evolution of their product.
“While independent financial advisers are typically at the core of most client’s investment decisions they have not previously been able to offer clients a comprehensive property investment solution, effectively excluding the world’s largest asset class from the discussion.
“This is a step change in the evolution of our product suite, providing a simple, comprehensive solution for investors incorporating every step in the process from research to execution with a very low investment threshold of $2,500.
“This puts the investor in the driver’s seat with the power to choose a residential property strategy backed by highly credible, independent research and underpinned by the confidence of having professional advice to execute that strategy through the selection of an appropriate property.”
DomaCom will engage professional property buyers’ advocates to shortlist suitable properties to acquire using the residential strategy campaigns selected by the investors. Investors will be able to open accounts on the platform and apply for units in the strategy of their choice.
Moody’s Analytics extensive economic forecasting expertise coupled with Corelogic’s historic index values offer sophisticated insights into the future trends of Australia’s residential property market and DomaCom is pleased to be able to offer investors access to these insights and the platform to act on them.
Highlights of the deal
• DomaCom signs agreement to subscribe to the 10-year CoreLogic – Moody’s Analytics Australian Forecast Home Value Index
• DomaCom will use the forecasts to create Residential Crowdfunding campaigns for each Australian capital city
• Paves the way for financial planners to access highly targeted residential property investment strategies for clients that leverage off institutional grade research
• Gen X/Y/Millennial Investors can participate in these crowd funding campaigns to save their housing deposit in the market they wish to live in.
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DomaCom subscribes to Moody’s Analytics property highlights index

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Car sharing platform Car Next Door, is raising $1.5 million through a crowd-sourced equity funding platform Equitise, a move its CEO says will drive more engagement of its members with the startup. 
Founded in 2013, Car Next Door has 50,000 users and 1,300 cars listed on the platform. Members can rent a car from as little as $5 an hour to $25 a day. 
The start-up operates in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with plans to expand to the Gold Coast, Canberra, Perth and Adelaide in the next few months.
Its users and revenue have doubled each year since it launched. Turnover is expected to hit $1 million in January.
The move has been a long-term plan of co-founder and chief executive Will Davies.
"Since we started our users have been really keen and passionate about what we're doing and keen to invest and get involved," he was cited as saying The Australian Financial Review.
"It's a good way to get them more engaged and it will help with retention and word-of-mouth."
Car Next Door, which lets users find a car in their neighbourhood to hire from a minimum of $25 per day, 
Car Next Door expects to raise a minimum of $500,000 from sophisticated investors using Equitise, as part of a $4-5 million Series B round, the AFR said.
It has already raised $2.3 million in its latest round from existing investors such as Caltex and Trevor Folsom's Investible.
If the crowdfunding move pays off, Davies expects to go in for another capital raising which would be open to the public once the legislation permitting private companies to partake in crowd-sourced equity funding passes the Senate.
On September 29, the federal government's legislation to enable crowd-sourced equity funding from retail investors for unlisted public companies came into effect, but an amendment to the laws that will open it up to private companies is still going through the Senate.
"The big thing for us will be retail investors. We want people to be able to invest a few thousand dollars," he said.
 
 
 
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Car Next Door to raise $1.5 million through crowd funding

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Crowdfunding is disrupting property investment by fractionalising the asset to make it easier for people to invest a bit or a lot in one or more properties of their choice, giving investors opportunities in any type of property anywhere in Australia.
Australia’s leading property crowdfunder, DomaCom, allows investors to contribute towards the purchase of a property asset of their choice.  This includes residential, commercial, retail, and industrial and thematic sectors such as agriculture, energy, affordable housing, student accommodation, land banking and social infrastructure, among others.
Sometimes called fractional investing, crowdfunding is a modern form of syndication that DomaCom have taken to another level.
The DomaCom model is an online platform in two parts; the first facilitates the investment application and a strict due diligence process to ensure that every property is fairly valued, legally entitled and of sound structure.
The second part is a legal structure that fractionalises the ownership via a unitised structure.
This structure is called a managed investment scheme (MIS). Each property acquired is held in a segregated sub-fund of the MIS in which investors receive units in proportion to the amount they invest.
Crowdfunding requires cash on deposit before a property can be selected as this determines how much is available. DomaCom have a number of residential strategy or thematic campaigns running at any one time that investors can choose from.
So who chooses property to crowdfund?
DomaCom is a platform for investors to use but the company does not choose specific properties. We select residential strategies from analysed research then ask property advisers to select assets based on that research. Thematic projects are usually partially completed with due diligence enabling them to be posted to the platform for investors to participate. Thematic projects usually have a longer sale process and therefore time to raise the necessary capital. Residential properties on the other hand come to market for 4 or 5 weeks so it is necessary to have cash on hand to act quickly when the properties are identified. 
Investing is the easy part, but how do investors exit?
An exit strategy is just as important as the investment. The DomaCom Fund generally has a 5 year term for residential properties thereby guaranteeing an exit for investors if they wish. Those who wish to retain the property can do so by buying out those who wish to exit. If they don’t the property is sold and the proceeds are distributed to investors. 
Just as the sharemarket enables online trading in company shares, DomaCom has created an online unit trading facility within the platform, complete with buy/sell and market depth screens to enable investors to trade their units at any time provided there is a buyer, just like the sharemarket. A third facility exists where unit holders can vote to wind up a sub-fund and sell the property at any time, provided 75% of unit holders vote to do so.
DomaCom have recently been active seeking to raise $4.3 million working with Utilas Group to develop a BioHub project in Casino.
Landbanking has been popular venture too with funds being sought for near Sydney's second planned airport, with KSI Investments acquiring over 11 acres near Badgerys Creek. 
To learn more about crowdfunding, visit <a href="https://www.domacom.com.au/" target="_blank">DomaCom here</a>.
 
 
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