Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

<html><body>
Probuild has been revealed as the nation’s most active construction company during 2016/17 in the HIA-CoreLogic Construction 100 Report 2016/17.
The report presents in-depth analysis of the engineering construction, non-residential building, and apartment sectors and ranks the largest 100 companies operating in these sectors.
Victoria-based Probuild has made the most of the apartment boom in Melbourne and Sydney as well as the demand for construction of mixed-used developments including luxury hotels to jump from fifth on the list last year to the top spot amongst Australia’s Construction 100.
The scale of the mining project downturn on the engineering construction side means that levels of expenditure have slowed for three consecutive years between 2014/15 and 2016/17.
The big news in the engineering sector is that in the second half of 2016/17 activity rose by 3.3 per cent compared with the first half of the year.
This is the most encouraging news from this sector for a number of years.
Lendlease held second spot on the Construction 100 for the second year in a row with contracts totalling $5.3 billion awarded during the 2016/17 year, predominantly for civil engineering work, community construction projects and commercial construction.
Multiplex ranked third with $5.14 billion worth of new contracts awarded.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/21/1505955060914.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/09/21/1505955060914.jpg" alt="">
John Holland and CPB Contractors benefited from the boost in public sector investment in transport infrastructure in the major capital cities and ranked fourth and fifth on the Construction 100 respectively.
The changing mix of work within the construction sector is clearly evident amongst the activity of firms in the Construction 100.
The nation’s largest construction firms have proven highly capable of adapting their services to meet the demands of current economic conditions and deliver the projects that the market has required.
Looking ahead we expect that the impending slowdown in apartment building will be offset by further growth in public sector investment in infrastructure.
Business confidence is also showing signs of improvement which is a signal that demand for construction from the private sector could also strengthen.
This investment profile should ensure that the construction sector continues to be a significant driver of economic growth.
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Australia’s top construction companies revealed

<html><body>
For the second year in a row, Metricon Homes was revealed as the nation’s number one residential builder, at the launch of the HIA-COLORBOND® steel Housing 100 Report in Melbourne this morning.
<a href="https://www.metricon.com.au" target="_blank">Metricon Homes</a> reported a total of 4,367 starts - just two more than last year - across Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.
Of these starts, 3,876 were detached houses and 491 were semi-detached dwellings.
The number of new houses commenced in Australia has fallen over the last year, but the bar for entry into the HIA–COLORBOND® steel Housing 100 Report continues to rise.
The number of starts required to make the list has increased from 96 to 108 – the highest entry hurdle on record.
The HIA–COLORBOND® steel Housing 100 Report shows that:
<ul>
<li>Australia’s 100 largest builders increased their starts by 8.5 per cent to 74,572 during 2016/17, the highest number of starts on record for the Housing 100 group;</li>
<li>The Housing 100 accounted for 45 per cent of all new dwellings started in 2016/17;</li>
<li>Revenue earned from home construction by the Housing 100 increased by 22 per cent to $22.61 billion in 2016/17.</li>
</ul>
The number of new dwellings commenced in Australia declined by 6.9 per cent in 2016/17 but the number of housing starts by the largest 100 Builders in Australia actually increased by 8.5 per cent.
These results show that even in a shrinking market, there are a smaller number of builders that are still growing their business.
The boom in apartments - particularly in Sydney and Melbourne - has been a major factor in this year’s results.
Multi-unit starts have declined this year compared to the previous year, but they still remain at very elevated levels.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/20/Screen%20Shot%202017-09-20%20at%2010.48.02%20am.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/09/20/Screen%20Shot%202017-09-20%20at%2010.48.02%20am.jpg" alt="">
<a href="https://www.dyldam.com.au" target="_blank">Dyldam Developments</a> is Australia’s second-largest homebuilder with 3,605 starts during 2016/17. All of Dyldam Developments’ starts relate to apartment construction in Sydney.
<a href="https://www.abngroup.com.au" target="_blank">ABN Group</a> defied a slow market in Western Australia to achieve third place on the list.
The biggest mover for a second year in a row was the <a href="https://www.mjhgroup.net.au" target="_blank">MJH Group</a> with an increase of 517 starts in 2016/17.
This is in addition to their growth of 1,034 starts during the previous year escalating them to sixth place on the list of largest builders in Australia.
ACT-based <a href="https://www.geocon.com.au" target="_blank">GEOCON</a> more than doubled its number of starts – with an increase of 492 starts - in 2016/17. This makes them the second biggest mover in the year.
The NSW <a href="https://rilowgroup.com.au" target="_blank">RILOW Group</a> jumped 26 spots on the list to be the 58th largest builder in the country.
There are 17 builders appearing on the list for the first time, which are predominantly from NSW and Queensland.
The prior HIA-COLORBOND® steel Housing 100 Report 2015/16 revealed a fourth consecutive increase in new dwelling commencements for Australia’s largest volume builders, with Metricon topping the latest list.
The total number of HOUSING 100 starts was 69,161 in 2015/16, compared to the previous record of 69,100 in 2003/04 and the ten year high of 68,621 reached in 2014/15.
The report, that ranks Australia’s largest 100 residential builders based on the number of homes commenced each year, found that Metricon Homes was the nation’s number one home builder in 2015/16.
</body></html>

Metricon tops HIA’s Top Homebuilders again

<html><body>
Based on performance during 2015/16, a total of 22 Hotspots have been identified in NSW this year – an increase of one compared with a year ago.
These are ranked in order of their respective population growth rate during 2015/16.
The strength of new residential building activity in the state – particularly on the apartment side – means that NSW accounts for a disproportionately large share of the national total.
The bar is higher for areas in NSW to qualify as a Hotspot with approval required for at least $150 million worth of residential building work during 2015/16.
This threshold was increased in last year’s report from $100 million previously.
As discussed above, NSW accounts for nine of the national Top Twenty Hotspots.
The Greater Sydney market completely dominates the state’s haul of Hotspots – none of them are located in regional NSW.
Cobbitty-Leppington remained in pole position this year having increased the amount of building work approved from $363.8 million to $506.5 million.
The rate of population growth also accelerated slightly, from 26.1 percent to 27.6 percent.
Riverstone-Marsden Park jumped two places in the rankings to second this year - Riverstone-Marsden Park received more residential building approvals than Cobbitty-Leppington during 2015/16 ($598.6 million) but was ranked lower due to a slightly weaker rate of population growth (+23.6 per cent).
As a result of Riverstone-Marsden Park’s ascent, Homebush Bay-Silverwater slipped into third spot from second last year.
The value of residential building work approved fell from $505.6 million in 2014/15 to $365.0 million in 2015/16 and the rate of population growth slowed to a still-creditable 11.5 percent.
In terms of approvals for alterations and additions, the strongest area of NSW was again Mosman where a total of $94.4 million worth of approvals were recorded in 2015/16.
This was followed by Newcastle-Cooks Hill ($63.3 million), Double Bay- Bellevue Hill ($53.1 million) and Willoughby-Castle Cove-Northbridge ($41.3 million).
The NSW renovations market is benefitting from the substantial rise in dwelling prices over the past five years which has pumped up home equity levels, a situation made all the more favourable by the environment of very low interest rates.
There is also evidence that Sydney homeowners are refraining from moving house in the current environment due to the high costs and instead are engaging in major renovations work on their existing homes.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/29/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-29%20at%2011.46.42%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/29/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-29%20at%2011.46.42%20AM.png" alt="">
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-cobbitty-125349790" target="_blank">29/665 Cobbitty Road</a>, Cobbitty (above) has been listed with an asking price of $525,000.
Similarly a four bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-leppington-125408050" target="_blank">41 Jamboree Avenue</a>, Leppington (below) has been listed for between $929,000 to $989,000.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/06/08/41%20Jamboree%20Avenue.jpg" alt="">
</body></html>

jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Cobbitty-Leppington ranked first for Sydney hotspots: HIA

<html><body>
Lending to owner occupiers to build or buy a new home increased by 4.3 percent in March 2017 after month on month declines in January and February, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Loans to buy a new dwelling were up by 1.9 percent on the previous month.
Lending during the full March 2017 quarter was down by 0.4 percent on the level a year earlier.
Geordan Murray, economist, HIA, said after the housing finance figures showed a relatively soft start to the year, a jump in March saw the number of loans to owner-occupiers building or buying new homes increase by 4.3 percent.
“The increase in new home lending during the month was primarily driven by an increase in the number of loans to those purchasing new homes, which were up by 9.5 percent in the month," he said.
"Furthermore, during the full March 2017 quarter lending activity in this part of the market was 8.1 percent higher than a year earlier.
"The number of loans to owner-occupiers constructing or purchasing new homes during the March 2017 quarter was stronger than a year earlier in five of the eight states and territories.
The largest increase was recorded in Queensland (+10.9 percent), followed by Tasmania (+10.1 percent), Victoria (+9.2 percent), South Australia (+6.5 percent), and New South Wales (+3.8 percent).
The largest fall was recorded in the Northern Territory (-35.5 percent), followed by Western Australia (-7.6 percent) and the ACT (-2.4 percent).
"A growing number of apartment projects that have been under construction over the last couple of years are now reaching completion.
"This means that buyers who purchased off the plan are now reaching the settlement stage.
"We expect to see lending in this part of the market continue to rise over the year ahead as more apartment projects reach completion."
</body></html>

Lending to owner occupiers to build or buy up in March

<html><body>
The housing focus in the 2017 Budget sends an important signal to the community the Government is serious about delivering more affordable housing, according to the Housing Industry Association.
Graham Wolfe, deputy managing director, HIA said there are no simple solutions but providing well targeted assistance to help first home buyers save for their first home and to providers of community housing through the ‘National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation’ will make a difference.
“Although not an affordability measure, the incentives for ‘downsizers’ will also help stimulate the supply of new housing more appropriate to the needs of our seniors," he said.
“Much of the work to improve housing affordability rests with state and local governments and the Budget has made significant commitments to encourage action.
"The National Housing Infrastructure Facility has $1billion behind it is more than just window dressing.
“Linking the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement’s $1.8 billion to the states and local governments delivering improved housing supply and better planning systems is a significant and welcome reform.
“The ‘city deals’ expansion into smaller scale projects is also a welcome development: the big ticket projects are important but much can be achieved by removing obstacles to more efficient delivery of homes.
“However HIA is concerned about the negative impacts on residential building from the Budget’s measures on foreign investment.
“Plans to tax vacant homes, limit the share of foreign investment in new projects and increase foreign investor duties all send exactly the wrong signal to potential investors in Australia.
“HIA would urge the Government to build on the Budget’s initial steps towards more affordable housing by making this a standing item on the COAG agenda.
“In the meantime HIA will continue to urge the Government to undertake a thorough national inquiry into housing affordability and establish a mechanism for the regular monitoring of the crucial supply of land for the residential building industry."
</body></html>

2017 Budget is a step towards housing affordability: HIA

<html><body>
Australia needs supply not demand focused solutions to address our national affordability challenges, said the Housing Industry Association.
“Attempts to remove demand for new housing will reduce supply, affordability and jobs,” said HIA’s Deputy Managing Director, Graham Wolfe.
“While several measures announced today by Labor to address Australia’s housing affordability challenges provide a sensible approach to increasing supply of new homes, others targeting demand will have an adverse impact on affordability now and into the future,” said Mr Wolfe.
“We can’t address housing affordability nationally with both eyes solely on Sydney and Melbourne,” said Mr Wolfe.
“Sydney house price increases have been driven by many factors, including significant population growth, a ten-year supply recession, low interest rates and the impact of extremely high stamp duty costs on sales in the established housing market.”
The dynamics in Perth, Adelaide, Northern Queensland and Darwin are very different.
Foreign investors and self-managed superannuation fund investors cannot be blamed for the recent fall in house prices in Perth and Darwin, or the slower level of new housing activity in Adelaide.
Inflicting demand side measures on these capital cities ignores the significant negative impact on housing supply, jobs and economic growth in these economies.
Right now, if foreign capital investment in Australia helped bring significant residential development projects to commencement in Perth, creating jobs and production, the Western Australian economy would be much better for it.
Australia needs a credible land planning body to provide national monitoring and forecasting of future land release and housing requirements.
The body would help to inform government policy on financing, infrastructure and demographics.
Other policies to address housing affordability must include a reduction in the imbedded taxation on new housing, government funding to support infrastructure and reforms to address unnecessary planning delays in bringing new residential developments to market.
Our national housing affordability challenge is complex, and necessitates a national ‘cost of housing’ inquiry to identify impediments to the supply of new housing.
Such an inquiry would bring together the overlapping impact of regulations, taxes and barriers imposed by all three levels of government, and importantly, inform governments in developing cohesive, integrated and responsible housing reforms, measures and programs,” concluded Mr Wolfe.
</body></html>

The answer to our housing affordability challenge is housing supply: HIA

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
The Housing Industry Association, the voice of Australia’s residential building industry supports the Turnbull Government’s focus on first home buyer access and reducing the costs of new housing supply.
Housing affordability is a dominant policy issue in 2017, but it is also a complex one.
A suite of policies to address low housing affordability is required and these policies need to come from the Federal government, state governments, and from cooperation between the two levels.
Changes to negative gearing (and capital gains tax) are not the appropriate policy focus to addressing Australia’s housing affordability challenge. Reducing the cost of new housing supply and tackling the deposit gap faced by aspiring first home buyers is the appropriate core focus.
In this regard a ‘bond aggregator’ model to increase public and social housing supply is a good start. Consideration of allowing first home buyers to access super savings to support a housing deposit is another policy worthy of debate.
A well-designed housing infrastructure fund must also be part of the Federal government’s consideration. A Federal government-backed policy to reduce the price of non-essential infrastructure currently being paid for by new home buyers would play a crucial role in reducing the cost of new housing supply. 
Independent research conducted for HIA by Independent Economics, using the same model as that used by Commonwealth Treasury, provides compelling evidence that amending negative gearing provisions would be a retrograde step as it would reduce both Australian living standards and housing affordability.
In an ‘ideal’ world the two keys to fully addressing Australia’s housing affordability challenge are boosting residential land supply and eliminating stamp duty on residential property conveyances.
Both represent large policy challenges, and can be achieved with cooperation between state governments and the Federal government.
The Henry Tax Review ‘blueprint’ correctly recognised that reforms to housing supply and housing assistance need to come before everything else. Consideration of any policies to amend negative gearing or capital gains tax concessions forget this important finding, provide false hope to aspiring home buyers, and will lead to a deterioration in housing affordability. 
Kristin Brookfield is the Chief Executive Industry Policy at the Housing Industry Association (HIA). You can contact her <a href="https://hia.com.au/IndustryPolicy/PolicyTeam.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

HIA supports housing policy focus from federal government: Kristin Brookfield

<html><body>
New home building activity in Australia is forecast to move back a gear in 2017, from the record highs seen during the previous 12 months, according to the latest forecasts presented in the Housing Industry Association National Outlook.
“2016 will long occupy a special place in the history of Australia’s residential building industry.
"New dwelling starts hit an all-time high of 228,230 during the year – the culmination of the longest housing upturn since the end of WWII,” said HIA senior economist, Shane Garrett.
“Even though we saw new dwelling starts reach record levels during 2016 on a national basis, the geographic pattern of activity is still strikingly uneven.
Four of the eight states actually experienced falls in new home starts last year.”
With taxation accounting for over 40 per cent of the price of a new house in several key markets, the long-term solution to the affordability challenge has to involve root and branch changes to the way is which new housing is taxed.”
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-03-08%20at%205.11.28%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/03/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-03-08%20at%205.11.28%20pm.jpg" alt="">
“Even though new dwelling starts will decline over the next couple of years, the annual volume of new home starts is not likely to fall below 173,000 at any stage.
By any standard, this is still a very robust level of activity,” concluded Shane Garrett.
The Summer 2017 edition of the Housing Industry Association National Outlook report discusses how the number of new dwelling commencements nationally is likely to have peaked at 231,803 during 2015/16.
New dwelling starts are projected to decline by 6.9 per cent during 2016/17 with a further fall of 15.3 per cent anticipated to take place the following year.
A smaller reduction of 5.2 percent is expected to bring new dwelling starts to a cyclical low point of 173,169 in the 2018/19 financial year before growth resumes in 2019/20.
According to the HIA National Outlook report, the volume of renovations work is anticipated to grow by 1.6 percent during 2016/17 and by 2.0 percent in 2017/18.
The pace of growth is expected to pick up the following year (+2.7 percent) bringing the value of the Australian renovations market to $34.65 billion during 2018/19.
</body></html>

Home building forecasted to decline with further reduction next year: HIA

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
<div class="WordSection1">
NSW First Home Buyer (FHB) assistance measures have not kept pace with the market.
First home buyers represent only 8 percent of owner- occupier home loans in NSW, compared to 15 percent in Victoria and 16 percent in Queensland.
The overall package for first home buyers in NSW has had a consistent and critical flaw for some time. That is that the stamp duty exemptions for FHB’s (via the First Home - New Home package) have not worked in tandem with the First Home Owners Grant.
A full stamp duty exemption should be offered for new properties up to the same monetary cap as the First Home Owners Grant of $750,000 and on vacant land up to $450,000. Currently, a full stamp duty exemption is only available on new properties up to $550,000 and vacant land up to $ 350,000.
I doubt any first home buyers are able to meet the criteria for a stamp duty concession virtually anywhere in Sydney. The stamp duty price caps were put in place in 2012 and prices in Sydney have increased by more than 50 percent in that time.
This is way out of touch with the reality of today’s market.
The overall support to first home buyers would be far more successful if these simple changes were made as soon as possible.
First Home Buyers in NSW are struggling to get a foothold in the market and reinstating the $15,000 grant for new dwellings up to $750,000 and providing a stamp duty exemption to the same amount could provide a saving of up to $34,000 up front.
Whilst longer term structural change is needed to deal with inefficient taxes like stamp duty, such change is unlikely to come anytime soon. That’s why we need to support those struggling to enter the market in the near to medium term.
David Bare is HIA executive director, NSW, and can be contacted <a href="https://hia.com.au/about/Contact.aspx?contactustab=Media" target="_blank">here</a>.
</div>
</body></html>

NSW government needs to make first home buyers assistance effective: David Bare

<html><body>
The first key new housing update for 2017 provides a softer update, says the Housing Industry Association.
“The HIA New Homes Sales Report – a survey of Australia’s largest home builders showed a moderate decline of 2.2 percent in January 2017,” said HIA Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale.
“This weaker update does follow a relatively decent run home for new home sales in late 2016.
Given that Australia is tailing off from the largest and longest new home building cycle in history, both the total and sub-component profiles for new home sales are still in very good shape,” said Harley Dale.
“There aren’t many sectors punching above their weight in the nation’s economy right now, so the profile for new home sales is also good news for Australia as a whole.
HIA’s latest forecasts for new dwelling commencements will be released on Thursday and they will paint a healthy short term picture for residential construction.
There is nothing to be seen in this latest update for new home sales or from any other recent leading indicator results to deter us from this outlook,” concluded Harley Dale.
The January 2017 update for the HIA’s monthly New Home Sales survey reveals a decline of 1.5 percent in detached house sales following a similar fall of 1.6 percent in December last year.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/28/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-28%20at%201.05.50%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/02/28/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-28%20at%201.05.50%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Detached house sales fell by a very modest 1.1 percent over the three months to January 2017 to be down by 4.0 percent when compared to the same period 12 months previously.
The sale of ‘multi-units’ dropped by 4.3 percent in January following an increase of 6.4 percent in December 2016.
Over the three months to January 2017 multi-unit sales increased by 4.8 percent to a level 9.0 percent higher than the comparable period a year earlier.
Seasonally adjusted new detached house sales increased by 12.1 percent in Western Australia in January 2017 following a sharp dip of 9.1 percent last December.
In the month of January 2017 detached house sales fell by 6.8 percent in New South Wales, 4.1 percent in Victoria, 2.0 percent in Queensland, and 1.4 percent in South Australia.
</body></html>

Hia

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Hia