The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Dwelling Values

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Sydney's property market may soon turn with CoreLogic research director Tim Lawless suggesting conditions will start to favour buyers according to the June CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index.
He said homes in the city are taking longer to sell and vendors are starting to offer larger discounts on their asking prices in order to make a sale.
"The typical Sydney home is now taking 40 days to sell compared with 26 days a year ago and discounting rates have risen from 5.5 percent a year ago to 5.6 percent,” he said. 
Some positive news for Sydney buyers is that there are early signs that Sydney’s housing market may be starting to turn in favour of the buyer.
“In balance, Australia’s two largest cities are facing increased affordability challenges that are likely to negatively impact the trajectory of dwelling values and activity as more prospective buyers are blocked from the market.
The CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index for June notes Sydney auction clearance rates have shown a noticeable improvement since December 2015 with Sydney clearance rates higher than 70 percent so far this year and the last two months posting clearance rates in the middle 70 percent range. Melbourne auctions have been around 70 percent to high 60 percent week to week in 2016.
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Early signs the Sydney’s housing market may be starting to turn in favour of the buyer: Tim Lawless

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Capital city dwelling values in Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart have had a substantial rise according to the June Home Value Index from CoreLogic.
Dwelling values across the combined capital cities rose by 0.5 percent in June to be 8.3 percent higher over the past twelve months.
CoreLogic research director Tim Lawless said the June results continued to show a rebound in housing market conditions after weaker results were reported for the final quarter of 2015 when the combined capitals’ index was down 1.4 percent.
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He said the pace of capital gains in June was substantially lower than the April and May results when CoreLogic reported a 1.7 percent, and 1.6 percent month-on-month lift in capital city dwelling values.
“The monthly growth rate reduction is likely to be very much welcomed by state and federal government policy makers and regulators who may be concerned about a sustained rebound in capital gains," he said. 
“As an example, home values in Sydney have been rising for four years, and have increased by a cumulative 59 percent over this time frame. Melbourne dwelling values have been rising for the same length of time and have moved 41% higher over the growth cycle to date.
“The combined capitals’ headline result was driven by a strong 1.2 percent rise in Sydney dwelling values, and a 0.8 percent gain across Melbourne’s housing market. Hobart values also showed strong conditions with dwelling values moving 1.8 percent higher over the month.
"Housing market conditions in both Perth and Darwin are suffering from reduced housing demand resulting from a sharp downturn in migration and weaker employment opportunities. Rental rates have also fallen substantially in both cities, highlighting that lower housing demand is not confined to home buyers but also renters."
Monthly falls of more than 1 percent were recorded in Darwin (-1.6 percent), Adelaide (-1.3 percent) and Canberra (-1.1 percent), while the falls in Brisbane (-0.1 percent) and Perth (-0.8 percent) were less severe.
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Lawless said some positive news for Sydney buyers is that there are early signs that Sydney’s housing market may be starting to turn in favour of the buyer.
“We’re seeing homes in the city taking longer to sell and vendors are starting to offer larger discounts on their asking prices in order to make a sale," he said.
"The typical Sydney home is now taking 40 days to sell compared with 26 days a year ago and discounting rates have risen from 5.5 percent a year ago to 5.6 percent.”
“In balance, Australia’s two largest cities are facing increased affordability challenges that are likely to negatively impact the trajectory of dwelling values and activity as more prospective buyers are blocked from the market."
According to the report, capital city dwelling values have increased by 8.3 percent over the financial year which is lower than what was recorded over the previous two financial years when capital city dwelling values were 9.8 percent higher over 2014/15 and 10.1 percent higher in 2013/14. The recent peak rate of annual growth was recorded in July last year when capital city dwelling values were 11.1 percent higher over the preceding twelve month period. 
 
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June's ongoing dwelling price growth in Sydney and Melbourne: Tim Lawless

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Enter housing price growth into the topic although make sure if you want to be right that you always select the plural.
For example, those in the real estate industry always focus on suburban or post code housing price growth. What we are reading now are housing price growth predictions of significant drops for Sydney and Melbourne which just so happen to be Australia’s largest and most active markets.
Allow me to put this into perspective given most have failed miserably in educating readers as to what exactly this means. Let’s say for the sake of this argument you own a house in Mosman – in six months’ time the value of your home will in all probability have gone up due to record low stock levels. However, if you had recently acquired an investment off – the – plan apartment, in six months’ time that would have definitely dropped well below the purchase price.
Recently we learnt that the Australian banks are no longer lending to foreign buyers and many areas across Sydney have now been black listed from obtaining any loans due to a significant oversupply of property. We need to bear in mind that whenever we see major price adjustments to real estate this can only happen when you have an acute oversupply.
The final nail in the housing investment market was delivered this week in the NSW budget when stamp duty payable by foreign buyers would be hit with a new four (4) per cent surcharge. On top of that they will also be hit with an additional 0.75 per cent land tax surcharge on residential real estate. If ever these tens of thousands of foreign buyers needed a reason to walk away from their deposits they certainly have one now.
To add further confusion to this potential housing catastrophe nobody can answer does this surcharge apply to those investors who have already paid their deposit and are yet to pay stamp duty? If history is anything to go by then you would say confidently that it does. The major lenders would be hoping that it does as they would be hoping that many of their new lending clients walk away from their deposits as that significantly reduces their exposure. Although this can be a double whammy if they are also funding the developer – so this is the double – edged property sword.
We should also clean up some incorrect speculation from commentators that this new surcharge will have a significant effect on home prices too. Well it won’t because these foreign buyers can only buy off – the – plan so it won’t play any part in the established housing markets.
One would have to say that the new surcharges will be a total failure although it is disappointing that the NSW government did absolutely no due diligence with what the long term effect would be on the housing markets other than to drive the investment real estate markets values down. The tax that should have been brought down was a tax against those investors who land bank because they would make plenty from that given a large percentage of foreign buyers leave these properties vacant.
The NSW government would be very concerned that stamp duty received from the established property markets is in significant decline although there is no mention of that as all the revenue has arrived thanks to a robust investment market, hence the new surcharge. Should the new surcharge tax turn out to be a dismal failure which I believe it will then the NSW government will be forced into hopefully a complete review of property taxes.
Everyone in the real estate industry knows full well that the reason for record low stock levels is entirely due to home owners baulking at paying exhorbitant stamp duty, so instead they are renovating. One day the NSW government will explore a broad based land tax paid annually by home owners as a logical replacement to stamp duty with Australian residents receiving a discounted rate.
One would think by now that policies on the run are usually always met with disaster where the last example was the failed and now abolished mining tax.
MOSMAN – 2088
Number of houses on the market this time last year – 55
Number of houses on the market last week – 51
Number of houses on the market this week – 48
Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 66
Number of apartments on the market last week – 41
Number of apartments on the market this week – 41
CREMORNE – 2090 
Number of houses on the market this time last year – 13
Number of houses on the market last week – 10
Number of houses on the market this week – 13
Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 11
Number of apartments on the market last week – 18
Number of apartments on the market this week – 18
NEUTRAL BAY – 2089 
Number of houses on the market this time last year – 3
Number of houses on the market last week – 8
Number of houses on the market this week – 7
Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 29
Number of apartments on the market last week – 19
Number of apartments on the market this week – 19
ROBERT SIMEON is a director of <a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" target="_blank" title="RWM" rel="nofollow">Richardson Wrench Mosman and Neutral Bay</a> and has been selling residential real estate in Sydney since 1985.  He has also been writing real estate blog <a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" target="_blank" title="Virtual Realty News" rel="nofollow">Virtual Realty News</a> since 2000.
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Home truths needed on housing debate: Robert Simeon

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Melbourne houses are now at market peak, according to the HTW June 2016 property clock.
Melbourne joins NSW's Central Coast, Dubbo and Newcastle also deemed at their peak.
Melbourne was approaching the peak last month, according to the valuation firm, Herron Todd White.
Bundaberg and Townsville in Queensland are placed at the bottom of the property cycle.
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Melbourne houses now at market peak: HTW June property clock

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Knight Frank's Global House Price Index for Q1 2016 reports Asian markets are stumbling.
In the 6th position on the index, house prices in Australia increased 8.7 percent year-on-year, down from the 4th position in the previous quarter, although growth is still trending above the 10-year annual average of 4.2 percent. Looking back, the last previous low of 5.1 percent annual growth for houses was recorded in January 2014. 
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Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan have all seen prices decline by between 3 percent and 6 percent in the year to March 2016, a combination of sluggish economic growth, regulatory measures and new supply are restraining price growth.
Nicholas Holt, Head of Research for Asia Pacific, says the slowdown in growth across many emerging Asian economies has weighed on residential property markets.
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Indonesia and Malaysia are feeling the impact of the wider macro-economic slowdown.
India continues to suffer from pockets of oversupply and a gap in pricing expectations between developers and buyers.
"The Chinese market is still seeing polarised performance, where Tier-1 and large Tier-2 cities are seeing price growth; whilst smaller Tier-2 cities, Tier-3 and Tier-4 cities are struggling with high unsold inventory.”
The index grew by 3.4 percent on average in the 12 months to March 2016, but top performing countries such as Australia are seeing their rate of annual price growth slow.
According to Michelle Ciesielski, Director, Residential Research Australia the overall growth in annual capital values has returned to more sustainable levels in 2016 – close to that experienced just over two years ago in the Australian mainstream housing market.
“Despite confidence from better-than-expected GDP growth in the March 2016 quarter (to 3.1 percent), a fall in unemployment (to 5.7 percent) together with the cut of 25 bps to the official cash rate in May 2016 to 1.75 percent, it is possible we will see a further uptick in investor lending, and modest growth in capital values along the Australian east coast in the coming months.
“However, it is unlikely we will see price growth as strong as experienced in the peak of mid-2014 and late-2015.” 
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Kate Everett-Allen, Partner, International Residential Research, noted the US and the UK are largely treading water, price growth in the first three months of 2016 equated to 0.9 percent and 1.6 percent respectively, linked in part to political worries, notably potential Brexit in the UK and the US presidential election.
House prices in New Zealand increased 11 percent year-on-year but have slipped marginally from their peak in Q3 2015.
Weaker economic growth and regulatory changes in the form of higher deposits for investors have dampened demand. 
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Economic uncertainty is filtering into global house prices: Knight Frank

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Dwelling values across the combined capital cities of Australia rose by 1.6 percent in May, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
According to the CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index Results, released today, the strong May numbers were largely the result of a surge in Sydney dwelling values which were up 3.1 percent over the month and 6.6 percent over the quarter.
CoreLogic state arise of more than 1 percent month-on-month was also recorded in Melbourne (1.6 percent), Canberra (2.5 percent) and Hobart (2.2 percent).
Perth was the only city to record a fall in dwelling values over the month, down 2.7 percent.
The annual rate of growth has moved substantially higher to reach 13.1 percent per annum after reaching a recent low point of 7.4 percent per annum growth over the 12 months ending March 2016.
Despite Sydney’s bounce in the trend rate of growth, Melbourne’s housing market is still recording the highest annual rate of capital gain at 13.9 percent. 
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CoreLogic head of research Tim Lawless said the high rate of auction clearance has demonstrated a remarkable bounce back after tracking below 60 percent during December with Sydney’s auction market recording a clearance rate as low as 52.9 percent in December. 
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 “The extent to which investors are fuelling the latest surge in Sydney home values is difficult to quantify, however housing finance data to March shows investors, as a proportion of all new mortgage commitments, have been trending higher since reaching a recent trough in November last year at 42.9 percent. The March data shows investors now comprise of 47.6 percent of all new mortgage commitments which is the highest proportional reading since August last year," he said.
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“Anecdotal evidence suggests investor numbers may have increased further from this time, with some lenders reversing the tighter lending requirements that were previously in place for investment purposes as growth in investor related credit tracks well under the APRA speed limit of 10 percent per annum.
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“Lower mortgage rates are likely to have a positive effect on consumer confidence and housing market conditions, with the standard variable mortgage rate now at its lowest level since 1968. 
“While the annual pace of growth has clearly reversed direction on the latest few months of data, the trend is still relatively fresh and may be short-lived. 
“Despite lower mortgage rates in May, lending conditions are tighter now than they were a year ago. Recent data from APRA highlights that interest only lending is now at its lowest level since March 2013 and new mortgages with an LVR (loan to value ratio) higher than 90 percent are at the lowest reading since March 2011. 
“With the federal election only a month away, we can expect housing to remain in the spotlight more than usual."
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Sydney's surprise 6.6 percent quarterly surge: CoreLogic RP Data Hedonic Home Value Index

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Some 12.6 percent of Hobart homes resold over the September 2015 quarter were at a loss compared to 14.1 percent at the end of the previous quarter and 15.7 percent a year ago, according to the most recent CoreLogic RP Data pain and gain report.
Across the council areas, Sorrell (25.6 percent), Brighton (19.5 percent) and Derwent Valley (18.5 percent) had the highest proportion of loss-making resales over the quarter.
The proportion of loss-making resales was lowest in Hobart (6.0 percent), Kingborough (6.5 percent) and Glenorchy (14.0 percent) council areas. 
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Hobart's Sorrell, Brighton, Derwent Valley hit by highest proportion of losing resales: CoreLogic RP Data

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CoreLogic RP Data research director Tim Lawless said capital city housing markets started the year off on a positive note with dwelling values rising by 0.9% in January in his latest video update.
  The month on month lift in dwelling values wasn't enough to offset the weaker readings in December and November, according to Tim, who said this dragged the rolling quarterly rate of capital gain down 0.6%.
To watch the January Housing Market update <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/housing-update/" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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Watch the latest housing market update across the capital cities: Tim Lawless

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Dwelling values across Australia’s capital cities were 0.9% higher in January driven partially by a small rebound in Sydney and Melbourne.
The recent growth conditions have pushed the Melbourne market into first place for annual growth in dwelling values with an 11% rise compared with Sydney where values are 10.5% higher over the past twelve months.
But both major capitals are down over the quarter.
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According to the January 2016 CoreLogic RP Data Hedonic Home Value Index results released today, dwelling values across Australia’s combined capital cities showed a 0.9 per cent rise in January after recording no change in December and a 1.5 per cent drop in November. 
CoreLogic RP Data head of research Tim Lawless noted this month on month rise wasn’t quite enough to pull the rolling quarterly rate of growth back into the black, with capital city dwelling values remaining 0.6% lower over the past three months.
Hobart led the monthly figures with a 4.7% jump in values, followed by Melbourne where values were 2.5% higher and Canberra with a 2.8% lift.
Sydney values also showed a rise of 0.5%, while the remaining four capital cities showed dwelling values to be either flat or down.
The rolling quarterly trend was looking similarly diverse, with four of Australia’s eight capital cities recording negative dwelling value movements over the past three months, with Sydney dwelling values showing the largest fall, down 2.1 per cent. Values are down over the rolling quarter in Darwin (-1.4%), Adelaide (-0.9%) and Melbourne (-0.1%) as well.
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The strongest growth in home values over the quarter across the capital cities was found in Hobart with a 3% capital gain.
Despite recording the largest annual decline in home values (-4.1%), Perth dwelling values posted a 1.7 per cent rise over the three months to the end of January.
Other capital cities to record a rise over the rolling quarter were Brisbane (+0.8%) and Canberra (+1.2%).
Over the past twelve months, capital city dwelling values have risen by 7.4% with Sydney’s capital gains of 10.5% no longer the highest annual rate across the capitals.
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“While still a high rate of annual growth, Sydney’s annual rate of capital gain is now at a 29 month low and has been progressively softening since peaking at 18.4% in July last year,” Mr Lawless said.
“Melbourne’s housing market has been more resilient to slowing growth conditions which has propelled the annual growth rate to the highest of any capital city, with dwelling values 11.0% higher over the past twelve months.
 
"Previously, during the height of the growth phase, there was a large separation between Sydney’s housing market, which was streaking ahead, and Melbourne’s, where the rate of capital gain was substantial but still well below the heights being recorded in Sydney.
"Over the past six months, the performance gap between Sydney and Melbourne is stark.
"Sydney dwelling values have reduced by 0.6 percent between July last year and the end of January 2016, compared with a 3.0 percent rise across Melbourne dwelling values.
"The last six months have also seen both Brisbane and Canberra dwelling values rise by 2.0 percent while Hobart values are 1.3 percent higher and Adelaide dwelling values have been virtually flat with a 0.1 percent rise,” Mr Lawless said. 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Move over Sydney, Melbourne takes over as the best performing capital city 

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GUEST OBSERVER
I hate to use the phrase but I love the Gold Coast lifestyle.
Not in any particular order but from the lack of traffic chaos, the awesome climate and the wonderful coastline, stunning hinterland and great places to eat.
The geography, location and natural landscape are right.
Nobby Beach is a family favourite, I love Burleigh and Currumbin beaches.
Inland you can’t beat time at Tamborine Mountain or Springbrook.
Then there is Paradise Point, Main Beach and The Spit, not forgetting the whole of the Broadwater/Jumpinpin and the place my family chooses to call home, Sanctuary Cove.
There’s great places to eat all over the coast now, some of the people aren’t bad either. 
For an area that started its growth in the 1960s/70s/80s so much of the architecture, let’s be honest, is pretty awful.
Luckily the past 15 years or so has seen real improvements in architectural styles whether it is an apartment building, single homes or the emerging townhouse/terrace type housing.
The Gold Coast grew from virtually nothing to over half-a-million in only four or five decades. This was fuelled by tourism, holiday homes and overseas home buyers and retirees.
Suddenly we have this substantial population — sixth in the country and no core industries or major sources of employment other than tourism which is great when the dollar is weaker as it is now, but that can create an almost never ending cycle of good and bad times.
Yes, boat building is back, but that again is an industry with highs and lows, so is construction. We need back-up plans for the inevitable quiet times of the future.
A hard task and I cannot offer any real solutions, but here is something political — sorry to the ‘no’ campaigners regarding the cruse ship terminal, but the latest offshore proposal to me is fantastic and an absolute must.
There is no doubt and it is very easy to define a market in recovery mode.
You review homes that sold at peak prices in previous years — that price then became unachievable for many years.
Only when the value of that same home has reached that former peak and moved slightly ahead can you be sure you are in recovery mode.
Right now across the Coast there are many homeowners that will happily confirm this.
So will we see growth? I believe so.
There’s good times ahead.
Andrew Winter writes columns for the News Ltd papers on real estate, with the <a href="https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/property-guru-andrew-winter-says-good-things-are-in-store-for-the-coast/news-story/87f5d24957cf797287434d1400f45330" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">comments taken from questions posed by the Gold Coast Bulletin on January 2</a>.
Andrew Winter is presenter, <a href="https://www.lifestyle.com.au/tv/selling-houses-australia/" target="_blank">Selling Houses Australia</a> presenter.
Andrew Winter says he's obsessed with houses. With 25 years experience in the property trade, he believes that if you haven’t sold your house within two months then you’re doing something wrong.
Starting his career in a real estate agency at the tender age of 17, Andrew sold his first home within a matter of months. He then went on to spend some years with a firm of Chartered Surveyors fine tuning his house selling skills, but combining it with inside knowledge of construction, structural issues, building faults and problems.
To further expand his career he made the move to Central London where he sold apartments and townhouses in the famous Baker Street and Regents Park areas. Whilst selling properties in the redeveloped Canary Wharf area in London and Kent, his career gained an added angle – he was chosen to present and research a new TV program about his favourite subject “Selling Houses”. Over the last eleven years the program has gone from strength to strength both in the United Kingdom, Australia and other countries worldwide.
Andrew and his family moved to Australia in 2005. 
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