<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

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Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

Housing Market

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The number of fresh listings nationally went up by 4.1% when compared to the same period last year, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
According to the CoreLogic RP Data Property Pulse for the week ending 6 September, new properties on the market hit 42,609 over the past month driven by capital cities demand where listings were higher 4.9% than the same time last year.
The largest new listing increases was in Sydney with 18.1%, Canberra 18.5% and Melbourne 9.7%. Compared to last year new listings in Adelaide fell 3.9%, Perth down 17.5%, Hobart down 12.7% and Darwin falling 23.7%.
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Fresh listings nationally up 4.1% year on year: CoreLogic RP Data

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Gross rental yields for combined capital city houses are 3.4% and 4.3% for units in August, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
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The CoreLogic RP Data August Rental Index Results found combined capital city house and unit rental yields are currently at a record low. A year ago, combined capital city gross rental yields for houses were 3.7% and 4.5% for units.
Rental returns are expected to fall lower over the next few months.
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Gross rental yields at record low: CoreLogic RP Data

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GUEST OBSERVER
A swell in the number of listing this spring will bring positive changes to the property market.
House-hunters will already have noticed a rise in homes for sale earlier in spring than usual offering choice, better affordability and less pressure when it comes to finding a new home.
It has started to shift into a more traditional housing market along the eastern seaboard.
As listing slowly rise, we can expect price growth to still be above average but remain at a more sustainable level.
There won’t be a dramatic fall away of prices in markets such as Sydney and Melbourne where demand remains strong, however, we won’t see street records continuously being broken. 
Vendors need to be mindful we have enjoyed an extended period of incredible growth and may need to adjust price expectations. 
The media is still going to quote these spectacular sales results but I would suggest, that these are likely to become a bit more one off.  It will be home by home. Quality will still stand out.
Real estate that offers a "lifestyle" and that is well presented, requiring minimal updating, will be on the top of buyer’s wish lists and should fetch top dollar.
Even average agents have done well over the past two years but as we shift into a more traditional scenario where negotiations will be a key, it will be important for vendors to do their research. 
They need to ensure their agency has marketing plans and a good active database.
Proper preparation of a property for sale such as styling or minor home improvements on the advice of your agent could pay off in the current market.
Buyers typically come within the first two weeks of any marketing campaign. 
There is a risk that if vendors have unrealistic price expectations and turn down offers leaving their property for sale for an extended period, then the property will lag on the market. 
Changes to investor lending is anecdotally already starting to have an impact on the market.
They are being replaced by cashed-up buyers who previously missed out on purchasing either because of strong competition, price growth or lack of supply over the past 18 months.
Grant Harrod is chief executive officer of JL Hooker and can be contacted <a href="https://about.ljhooker.com.au/leadership-team" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Swell in spring property listings: LJ Hooker's Grant Harrod

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GUEST OBSERVER
As always, a plethora of information on lending for housing-related purposes. The headline number, which is the value of total lending over July, rose by 1.5%. The detail reveals that loans to owner-occupiers (O-Os) rose by 2.2% and loans to investors were 0.5% higher. 
O-Os: There has been pretty reasonable growth in lending to O-Os over the past year. By value lending is up 14.0% through the year and by number it’s up 3.9%. The difference between the two largely reflects the strong lift in dwelling prices which means that the average loan size has risen quite 5 solidly. Today’s data shows that the average new loan size for an O-O was 365k in July – up 9.8% through the year. Clearly, interest rate cuts have helped contribute to a lift in average loan size because the capacity to borrow rises when borrowing costs fall.
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Investors: For much of the past two years, lending to investors has been the dominant driver of housing-related lending growth. 
But in the last few months lending to investors has cooled a little. It’s still early days, but there are some tentative signs that some of the measures introduced by a number of banks to slow investor-related lending growth are having the desired impact. A gradual decline in rental yields is also playing its part in moderating the rate of lending growth to investors. We expect this trend to continue over coming months. 
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Construction: Total lending for dwelling-related construction fell slightly over July to leave annual growth at 12.9%. The solid growth in construction lending mirrors the lift in building approvals and residential construction surge currently underway. This story still has a way to run and the latest building approvals data shows that the pipeline of residential construction to come is deep. Dwelling construction generates jobs and the multiplier effect benefits other sectors of the economy. It will also help to alleviate some of the supply/demand imbalances in the property market, particularly in Sydney where dwelling prices have been running riot. 
States: The data on O-Os by State in July shows that annual growth in the number of loans is strongest in NSW (+11.0%), followed by QLD (+4.3%) and Vic (+3.6%). Unsurprisingly, the capital cities of these States have had the strongest house price growth over the past year. Other State results were Tas (+2.0%), SA (+0.4%) and WA (-6.8%). An update on lending to investors by State will be in Friday’s Lending Finance publication.
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First home buyers: The number of loans to first home buyers fell by 1.0% in July to be down 1.1% through the year. First home buyers represent just 15.4% of all dwellings financed – close to record lows. 
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Gareth Aird is economist at Commonwealth Bank and can be contacted <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://au.linkedin.com/pub/gareth-aird/14/790/905" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Housing-related lending up in July: Gareth Aird

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GUEST OBSERVER
In all the talk about the effect that APRA’s restrictions may have on the property market, there are few things that strike me.
Firstly 
There is a very real danger in applying a national remedy to a problem that is not national.
Everything is not same-same across Australia – there is no ‘boom’ evident in most places outside Sydney and Melbourne – and even within those markets, it’s not in all suburbs
There should be more engagement with financial and real estate industries before decisions are reached. 
Look what happened in New Zealand when the Reserve Bank there introduced lending restrictions on people buying houses in Auckland. It didn’t really impact where they want it to but it did cruel the first home buyer market.
Don’t strangle a market when and where you don’t need to. Markets in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra, let alone Australia’s provincial and regional centres, are not in the same ball park as those Sydney and Melbourne markets that many commentators focus on. 
The vast majority of markets don’t need to slow down. Some are already deflated.
In CoreLogic’s September 2015 Housing Market &amp; Economic Update, I see:
-        Sydney where home values are consistently trending higher, median house price is $900,000 and median apartment price is $670,000.
-        Melbourne having the strongest quarter of any capital city, median house price is $620,000 and median apartment price is $475,000.
-        Brisbane with moderate capital growth, median house price is $482,400 and median apartment price is $382,200.
-        Adelaide with a slowdown in annual rate of value growth, median house price is $430,000 and median apartment price is $350,000.
-        Perth with declining home values, median house price is $520,000 and median apartment price is $415,500.
-        Hobart with values lower than five years ago though on the rise, median house price is $900,000 and median apartment price is $670,000.
-        Darwin with a sharp decline in home values, median house price is $580,000 and median apartment price is $450,000.
-        And Canberra with falling values in a year-on-year, median house price is $587,800 and median apartment price is $415,000.
Look at the market differences – the different stages they are in their property cycles - and these are just the capital cities!
APRA’s mid-August data demonstrated strong and accelerating growth in investor and interest-only lending but its latest banking statistics released at the end of the month showed some suggestion that investment lending growth was cooling. 
It’s too early to say whether this is the recent clampdown beginning to finally take effect, nor does it do anything to convince me that that APRA’s directives, with their national implications,
Property market activity – anywhere - is underpinned by supply and demand. This is effectively what moves markets through their property cycles.
Undoubtedly there will have to be a shift, with some markets moving past their peak. Others will be on the upswing. That’s the way things work. The danger is in taking a statement like ‘Property prices to fall’ and thinking it applies to every market, every micro-market, in Australia.
Secondly
It is not unusual to see stock market corrections. 
What has occurred last month was a well-timed caution that things are not set in concrete
Will there be a shift in where the investor puts their money? To consider are investing in a nervous stock market, restructuring superannuation investments, putting their cash in banks or buying property.
While the stock market investor will be looking warily around to see what and when the correction is going to be and the cash investor today is not having a good time of it with very low interest rates, the real estate investor needs to keep in mind that in order to gain you need to be able to sit.
If you can invest in property, be in it for the long haul.
Property market growth is something we are likely to see in most parts of Australia.
The volatility in the stock market right now is making property a much safer investment strategy.
There will be no major collapse in the next few years, especially while the interest rates are low, employment prospects are good, there is a backlog in construction of new property and our dollar is attracting foreign buyers
Thirdly
Banks don’t make money by keeping money in the bank, they make money by loaning money to investors. 
Banks are in the business of making a profit. When something threatens the profit margin, one of the things they can do is to pass on their losses to consumers.
With the APRA measures, the big lenders’ exposure – their need to hold capital – has almost doubled. Because they have to hold more, they can’t make as much money; they need more money so they can continue to lend. What are the options? They can increase the cost to the investor in order to meet their targets; they can raise capital from their investors by issuing additional shares, as the CBA is doing; or they can pull out of the investor market altogether, like we saw AMP do.
The heat in predominantly inner Sydney and Melbourne markets led to APRA’s involvement in limiting investor lending, with the flow-on impacts on banks and the strategies they subsequently employ.
There is still no guarantee that is will impact on Sydney and Melbourne market heat but it may mean there is less available for lending into other markets. So it is even possible that we may see a widening of the gap between Sydney/Melbourne and the rest of the Australian markets.
Fourthly
For as diverse the property markets are across Australia, so are the property consumers. How might different groups of people be affected?
There are some areas where first-time buyers can’t afford to buy a property where they want or need to live, so they become investors in order to enter the property market. These people may be caught out, or caught short, by having to come up with a greater deposit.
Lending restrictions will have little effect on the massive influences of the Asian market because these buyers usually don’t fall into the ‘lower’ deposit category. 
APRA’s rulings may produce opportunities for some. 
Cashed up property owners who can draw on good equity may buy up investment property. APRA’s June quarter figures suggested an increase in the number of borrowers using 20 to 40% deposits, accounting for half the new housing loans for that quarter. 
If we do see a slow-down in the rate of property price growth in some Sydney and Melbourne suburbs, financially-able buyers may make a move upwards and free up more affordable property for first home buyers. 
With the pricing differential between the heated markets in Sydney and Melbourne, the traditional swell of migratory property buyers may be even more apparent.
The south to north trend takes property buyers to markets such as Northern New South Wales, Gold and Sunshine Coasts, and up to North Queensland where property prices are more moderate, yield is good capital growth predictions are healthy, which frees up investor capital to put into superannuation or indeed more property.
The rules haven’t changed though when it comes to buying well-located property close to transport, good job availability and having a growing population. And buying for investment potential rather than because you would want to live in yourself.
Where under supply is a recognizable problem, perhaps giving more support to developers and builders would better control pricing than would curbing investor borrowing.
Michael Davoren is managing director, RE/MAX Australia and RE/MAX New Zealand and can be contacted <a href="https://www.remax.com.au/Michael-Davoren" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Recent APRA tightening may produce opportunities for some: Michael Davoren

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The level of fresh listings nationally has increased 4.9% when compared to the same period one year ago, with homes in capital cities increasing 8.9% compared to this time last year, according to CoreLogic RP Data's latest Property Pulse.
According to the report some 233,119 properties were added to the listings pool over the past month, with the largest increase in listings numbers for the four weeks ending August 30 in Sydney (16.4%), Melbourne (9.7%) and Canberra (17.7%).
Sydney's total stock levels are -0.5% lower than a year ago, with Melbourne listings down 4.7% lower than a year ago.
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Fresh listings nationally increase 4.9%: CoreLogic RP Data

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Unit values rose 0.8% over August, higher than the rise in house values at 0.3%, according to CoreLogic RP Data's latest Hedonic Home Value Index.
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The rolling quarterly rate of growth for units is 6.7%, with detached housing at 5.1%.
CoreLogic RP Data head of research Tim Lawless said over the past three months across every capital city except Melbourne and Brisbane, it has been the apartment sector that has shown the stronger growth result,” he said.
“This result comes at a time when apartment supply has ramped up substantially more than detached housing supply. To see such a broad-based over performance of units relative to houses, provides some comfort for developers and purchasers that higher density stock values are appreciating," he said.
"Since May 2013, dwelling values have risen at a faster pace than weekly rents. The result of the disparity between dwelling values and dwelling rents has been a consistent downwards trend in gross rental yields."
 
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Unit values rose 0.8% over August, houses 0.3%: CoreLogic RP Data

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Four out of the top ten locations for the highest proportion of auction listings for units are in Melbourne, with Kew East and Carlton North beating the Sydney suburb of Bronte to round out the top three.
According to CoreLogic RP Data, Balaclava and Surrey Hills were the only other Melbourne suburbs to make the list.
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Top ten suburbs for highest proportion of unit auction listings: CoreLogic RP Data 

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<div>Historically dwelling listings tend to begin to rise from the end of August.</div>
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<div>However, nationally dwelling stock on market levels remain 1.3% lower than a year ago.</div>
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<div>At the capital city level stock on market has declined over the past year in Hobart (-11%), Canberra (-8%), Melbourne (-5%), Brisbane (-3%), Adelaide (-2%) and Sydney (-1%).</div>
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<div>However, there have been significant increases in stock on market in the struggling markets of Perth (+18%) and Darwin (+15%).</div>
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PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>. 
His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
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Stock for sale virtually unchanged from last year: Pete Wargent

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GUEST OBSERVER
The forecasts verses actuals reveal the nation outside Sydney is recording slightly weaker growth than we expected and Sydney is recording more robust growth than what we expected for this year. 
Why?
<ul>
<li>The mining downturn is having a considerable impact in a number of cities.</li>
<li>Listings remain well supplied, particularly in Brisbane, which itself has been a victim of the downturn, represented by higher than average unemployment (particuarly white collar) and manifested through high CBD offices (and residential vacancy rates).</li>
<li>The second rate cut of May 2015 was not built into our forecast. As a result Sydney has risen faster than our more optimistic expectations.  </li>
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Note our forecast was for dwellings based on the ABS data. The ABS is not reporting for the June quarter until the end of September so we have decided to use the APM data on the interim. Our base case scenario became redundant once rates were cut in February and the dollar sank below $U.S 85 cents (December 2014). That put Scenario Two squarely in focus which was for more robust growth with Sydney leading the charge once again at 11-15%. We formally updated the market about this change at the end of March. By all accounts, Sydney has done more than our forecasts so far this year. The second rate cut of May ensured this with property investors entering into a frenzy that shot the average Sydney house up by an estimated $50,000 in just a few short weeks. Literally, the market ‘gapped up’. Since then I get the impression the market is still testing those highs and is struggling to move much further. This is illustrated by lower auction clearance rates recorded in the past 8 weeks then the preceding period. Going forward, clearance rates will fall in Spring (as they always seasonally do). Most likely they will fall to the mid 60s. If they so happen to fall below 60% then something more negative is going on. Otherwise it will be just a very normal Sydney market. While we believed Perth was at a higher risk of a correction, we still believed the probabilities were that Perth would largely flatline on the basis that rate cuts would provide a soft landing. The rate cuts have provided a soft landing of sorts, but not to the point of stopping a correction. Perth dwelling prices are now falling. This is showing up in the APM numbers AND our own asking prices, which suggests vendors have lowered their asking prices on average by 4% over the past 12 months. While downplaying other bullish forecasts for Brisbane in 2014, we did lift our forecasts for 2015. However Brisbane is proving to be largely flat-lining this year as well. The reality is underlying demand in Brisbane remains sluggish and investor related demand also soft. The total housing finance approvals chart for Queensland illustrates this story. Yes there has been a little pick since the downturn of 2010-2012 however this year housing finance approvals have been flat.
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The end result is still more sellers than buyers in the market and this can be clearly seen on our stock on market index for the city. Until such time as there is a definite trend of declining stock, it is hard to see how Brisbane is going to record any substantial rise in prices, let alone a new property boom.  It is a similar story for Adelaide and Hobart, however we still remain more bullish on Hobart and think activity is increasing<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=ba8e44005c&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank"></a>. Nevertheless outside Sydney and Melbourne, it is indeed a patchy market. This present climate comes with investor credit lending now slowing, potentially as a result of APRA’s actions. APRA has very recently stated it is now going to take a wait-and-see approach to the market. As APRA has now flexed its muscles and proved itself to be a key influencer on the housing market, it is interesting to note APRA’s current view of the world as presented last week, by the organisation’s chairman.   In short:
<ul>
<li>APRA believe that that housing portfolio risk profiles might have increased, and underwriting standards have “softened”, over time.</li>
<li>They believe house prices are “high” in areas outside Sydney and Melbourne.</li>
<li>They are largely leaving up to the Approved Deposit Institutions (Banks etc) to determine how best to meet APRA’s 10% investor lending annualised growth rate threshold should be applied.</li>
<li>They have left the door open to policies focussed on specific cities but for now will not employ such policies.</li>
</ul>
Perhaps the best way to gauge whether they will take further action down the track is by watching Investor housing credit which is published by the RBA. The latest result came out yesterday, which recorded a 0.6% increase in this measure. This was welcome news as the month result is below the annualised threshold of 10% growth set by APRA with some pundits claiming this is evidence of the APRA initiatives now working. One way, or the other, it appears APRA are intent on keeping investor credit growth below their stated 10% threshold. Given that it has been investors that have predominantly driven the housing market upward since 2012 there are ramifications for this policy. And that is slower housing price growth at the national level for next year. The magnitude of which we will explore in our 2015/2016 Housing Boom and Bust report, which is due to be released again later in September. On the interim, we will shortly be releasing a GOLD Coast outlook report including an assessment rating. That should be out on our website in time for next week’s newsletter. Needless to say, we have become rather bullish on the<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=8decbe51c1&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank"> </a>Coast.
Louis Christopher is property analyst for SQM Research. He can be contacted <a href="https://www.sqmresearch.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>. 
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