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>

Joel Robinson

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

Local Little Bay residents, along with buyers from premium postcodes across Sydney’s affluent Eastern Suburbs, have dominated purchases in developer-builder Urban Property Group’s first Eastern Suburbs apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a>.

The $250 million coastal project, one of the first new developments in the area in several years, has proven particularly popular with downsizers, especially those from Coogee and Bondi. One Double Bay downsizer paid $4.7 million for a four-bedroom penthouse, setting a new local apartment price record in the process.

Buyers have been attracted to the combination of coastal tranquillity, premium design and amenity-rich neighbourhood living. The walkable village setting, along with proximity to three of Sydney’s leading golf courses, New South Wales Golf Club, St Michael’s Golf Club and The Coast Golf Club, has also been a key drawcard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352689]

Built across two low-rise buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hill-thalis-architecture-urban-projects-pty-ltd">Hill Thalis</a> and set along a lush, landscaped green spine, designed by leading landscape architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, ESTE Little Bay offers a collection of one, two, three and four-bedroom residences with interiors by Richards Stanisich.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> Sales Director, Tom McIvor said the response to ESTE has been "nothing short of extraordinary."

“Buyers have been quick to recognise ESTE as a rare opportunity to invest in a coastal sanctuary that offers both seclusion and connectivity to the heart of Sydney,” McIvor said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352687]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">SRM Residential</a> Senior Director, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">Clayton Ross</a> said the local market has responded incredibly well, driven by ESTE’s exceptional location and the rarity it offers.

“We’ve seen strong interest from a variety of buyer groups, all of whom are drawn to the exclusivity and quality of the build and construction by the 4.5-star iCIRT-rated builder / developer, Urban Property Group. There’s truly nothing else like it along Sydney’s coastline.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352690]

The project also includes robust buyer protections, including Resilience Insurance’s Latent Defects Insurance, providing 10 years of structural cover, and an independent iCIRT-rating of the developer.

“The iCIRT-rating adds another layer of confidence,” Ross added. “Buyers see it as a safeguard for their investment and their lifestyle.” A highlight of ESTE’s offering is its exclusive wellness amenities, including a heated rooftop infinity pool and outdoor heated spa, a state-of-the-art Technogym fitness centre, and a sauna.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a> is topped out and is on track to complete towards the end of 2026, with residents moving in before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112343]

Eastern Suburbs buyers snap up ESTE Little Bay apartments

Lenders

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Pepper Money, ranked as Australia’s largest non-bank lender, has partnered with the Hawks Basketball Club for the National Basketball League (NBL) season.

The non-bank lender has agreed to become the Wollongong-based team’s principal sponsor for this year’s competition.

Pepper Money was drawn to the NBL club because the team’s “ambitions both within the league and the community” were aligned with the company’s corporate mission, which is “to help people succeed.”

Mario Rehayem, Australia and New Zealand chief executive officer at Pepper Money, said he wanted to join The Hawks’ family to help them rebuild their franchise, reclaim success in the league, and serve the community in the Illawarra region. 

“This also ensures our brand is seen by a wider audience of sporting fans in Illawarra and across Australia.”

Dorry Kordahi, president and co-owner of The Hawks, welcomed the partnership.

The terms of the sponsorship were not disclosed.

Last year Pepper Money re-signed with the AFL Saints, recommitting as co-principal partner of the club for 2021. 

St Kilda CEO Matt Finnis noted they had been part of their sponsorship supporters since 2015.

This time last year Pepper Australia’s $1 billion ASX-listing plan was mooted, with the group said to be targeting 2020 profits of about $83 million.

It has recently been reported by The Australian that Macquarie Capital was believed to be lined up for a role working on a potential float of the lender in 2021.
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The non-bank lender has agreed to become the Wollongong-based team’s principal sponsor for this year’s competition.

jchancellor

Australia's largest non-bank lender Pepper Money partners with the NBL's Hawks Basketball Club.

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More than a dozen lenders are offering cash incentives for home owners willing to move their business to a new lender, with Suncorp Bank, Reduce Home Loans and 86 400 the latest, according to RateCity.
Suncorp Bank is now offering up to $3,000 to refinancers, plus an additional $1,000 for people working in essential services roles, such as doctors, nurses, teachers and police officers.
A total of 13 banks currently have cashbacks on offer, including three of the big four banks – CBA, Westpac and ANZ.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/5/21/RATECITY%201.JPG" alt="">
RateCity.com.au crunched the numbers based on someone refinancing their loan with $400,000 remaining to see whether they would be ahead or behind after picking a cashback special over one of the lowest rates in the market. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/5/21/RATECITY%202.JPG" alt="">
Sally Tindall, research director at RateCity.com.au, said while low rate loans were usually more cost effective, the tide was turning as the bigger banks chase after new customers more aggressively.
“Cashback specials are nothing new. They’ve been used for years as a clever marketing tool to grab people’s attention. What’s changed is the banks are starting to offer cashback on loans that also have competitive rates,” she said.
“Someone who refinances every couple of years to a competitively priced loan could potentially come out on top by taking up a cashback special."
“However, over the long term it’s a completely different story. A low rate is almost certainly going to trump a one-off perk over 10 or 20 years – often by tens of thousands of dollars."
“While the promise of cold hard cash is hugely attractive for anyone juggling the bills, people who put the money back into their mortgage will see even bigger savings as it will reduce their interest charges every single day," she concluded.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Three of the Big Four banks now offering home loan cash backs

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Over the past week, 14 lenders decreased owner occupier variable rate loans, while 12 providers decreased owner occupier fixed rate loans, according to Canstar.
Greater Bank have introduced new low rates for owner occupier fixed rate loans: 2.79% for a one-year fixed rate, 3.39% for four and five-year fixed rates. 
They also found when looking to investment rates that 12 providers decreased variable investment rates and 10 lenders decreased investment fixed rates.
ANZ and NAB made variable rate decreases of 0.25% and 0.19% respectively; NAB also reduced its fixed rates by between 0.30% and 0.80% for both owner occupier and investment loans.
The tables below display these latest changes:
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/15/Canstar%201.png" alt="">
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/15/Canstar%202.png" alt="">
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/15/Canstar%203.png" alt="">
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/15/Canstar%204.png" alt="">
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The latest interest rate changes following the RBA cuts: Canstar

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The first home buyers' deposit guarantee innovation, unveiled by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, is perfectly pitched at the impatient first home buyer generation.
It will turbo-charge their entry into the property market with a government scheme partnering with private lenders offering finance for approved buyers.
The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme will be available, from next January if either the Coalition or Labor wins the federal election, for new home buyers who have got a 5% deposit, which is the easy bit.
They will get government backing to make up the 20% house deposit typically required by lenders.
The scheme is based on the valid belief it is the deposit gap rather than the size of mortgage payments that is the real barrier to home ownership.
The government backed National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation will guarantee the difference between the lower deposit and the 20%.
The scheme will also help first home buyers save around $10,000 by not having to pay lenders mortgage insurance.
The scheme, adopted from a 2015 New Zealand scheme, would allow singles earning less than $125,000 a year and couples earning less than $200,000 a year to get into the housing market in quick time.
Past schemes, including the first home super saver (FHSS) scheme, have simply been too slow in achieving outcomes. 
The $500 million scheme is set to be initially capped at 10,000 loans annually, about one tenth of the market. 
Some 110,000 bought their first home in 2018, which was the highest level in nine years.
But the latest NSW figures for March show the lowest number in two years.
The value of homes that can be purchased under the scheme will be capped on a regional basis, reflecting different markets across Australia.
Although it has fallen in recent months, an entry-level Sydney apartment costing $560,000 takes around five years and four months savings for a 20% deposit, some 16 months longer than in Melbourne and two years longer than the equivalent in Brisbane.
"With the banks pulling back and larger deposits of 20% now being standard, it is not getting easier," Morrison said.
"The lenders would still be the ones lending the money. They would still do all the normal checks on the borrowers to make sure that they can meet their repayments – this isn’t free money."
There will be a small risk for the government having first time borrowers with higher indebtedness especially if the market continues to fall.
No official figures are kept on first home buyer arrears or distressed sales, but the even more cautious big four banks maintain overall arrears levels across NSW remain very low given the low interest rate landscape.
The government support would stay in place for the life of the loan, until its sale or until the value of the property rises to a point where they choose to refinance.
The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme will start on 1 January next year, the same date that Labor has said it would start its grandfathered negative gearing scheme to assist affordability.
The proposed Coalition policy won't impress those who don't support market intervention by government, but there has been some $10.3 billion in benefits since 2000 when the First Home Owners Grant scheme was introduced to help first-home owners to offset the effect of Goods and Services Tax.
This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

First home buyers to get support to reach a 20% house deposit

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
This is an extract from the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) Financial Stability Review.
<hr>
Over the past three years, there has been a shift in lending for property towards non-ADI lenders, also referred to as non-bank lenders.
Residential mortgage lending by non-banks is estimated to have been growing much faster than the rate of banks’ mortgage lending.
Non-bank lending to property developers has also grown at a fast pace.
They perform similar functions to banks and lend to a wide range of borrowers.
They finance their lending by securitising loans or with funding from private investors, such as high net worth individuals and institutional investors.
Non-bank lenders are prohibited from accepting deposits, and are therefore not prudentially regulated.
Non-bank lending supports economic growth by providing an alternative form of funding and increasing competition for lending. But the activities of non-bank lenders can pose risks to financial stability, as they have in some countries internationally.
These risks arise when non-banks exacerbate credit and asset price cycles, prompt banks to weaken their lending standards or have financial links with the banking sector that see credit losses at non-banks transmitted to banks.
This box assesses these risks today, in light of the recent pick-up in growth of non-bank property lending.
Non-bank residential mortgage lending is estimated to have grown by roughly 15% per annum over recent years, well above growth in lending by banks.
This has seen their market share of outstanding lending continue to trend up.
While these estimates are based on incomplete data that may be revised over the coming year, they are broadly consistent with the information available on non-banks’ liabilities.
Almost all non-bank mortgage lending is funded by issuing residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) and non-bank issuance of these securities has trebled over the past three years.
The flow of non-bank RMBS issuance in 2018 was close to the pre-crisis peak.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/4/12/Non%20bank%20credit%201.JPG" alt="">
A factor that had supported non-banks’ increased market share has been banks’ repricing of certain types of housing loans.
Specifically, banks have increased the interest rates they charge on investor and interest-only (IO) loans, which are now on average around 50 basis points higher than interest rates on owner occupier principal and interest loans.
Banks increased interest rates on these products as a way of meeting the investor and IO lending benchmarks introduced by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) in 2014 and 2017.
Non-bank lenders, which were not required to meet APRA’s benchmarks, often do not apply this differential to investor and interest only loans.
These benchmarks have both been removed for most lenders. But other prudential standards are changing, as have perceptions of risk, so, to date, banks’ interest rate differentials based on type of loan remain.
Data from the RBA’s Securitisation Data set show that non-banks generally charge higher interest rates than banks for owner-occupier principal and interest loans; however, the interest rates they charge on other loans are typically much closer to those charged by banks (Graph D2).
As a result, investor loans have made up a growing proportion of nonbank lending, while their proportion of IO loans has fallen by much less than banks (Graph D3).
In contrast, banks have retreated from both these market segments.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/4/12/Non%20bank%20credit%202.JPG" alt="">
In addition, a perception that finance is more difficult to obtain from the major banks has seen even some higher quality borrowers shifting to non-bank lenders.
The RBA’s liaison with nonbank lenders indicates that borrowers have been attracted by their faster approval times and the greater likelihood of approval compared with the major banks. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/4/12/Non%20bank%20credit%203.JPG" alt="">
… but remains small and financial stability risks are limited at this point
Non-bank mortgage lenders account for less than 5% of outstanding housing credit and so are not a substantial financial stability risk (Graph D1).
In particular, their small share reduces the risk that non-bank lenders will exacerbate the credit cycle. More generally, growth in non-bank lending has accelerated as housing markets and credit growth have both been weakening overall.
There is also no evidence of banks loosening lending standards to compete.
Banks have instead tightened lending standards since 2015, although there continues to be strong competition for the highest quality borrowers.
Non-bank lenders have also tightened their lending standards over recent years, even while writing a larger share of higher risk investor loans than previously.
This is because they are still subject to responsible lending laws, for which compliance expectations have increased over recent years, and because long-term investors often expect non-bank RMBS to broadly conform with APRA standards.
Consistent with this, arrears rates for non-bank lenders are slightly lower than for banks and have not increased materially to date.
Whether this would remain true if the unemployment rate was to rise remains to be seen.
The potential for contagion from non-banks to banks also remains small because interconnections between them are limited.
Banks have some exposure to non-bank mortgage lending through short-term ‘warehouse’ funding facilities, but these are small compared with banks’ own mortgage lending and their capital.
Banks’ willingness to increase these exposures significantly is limited by APRA monitoring the growth of these facilities, a liquidity requirement to match the undrawn exposures with highquality liquid assets, and the capital required to be held against such exposures.
The main constraints to a more rapid expansion of non-bank mortgage lending stem from their funding. RMBS pricing is well above the cost of bank funding (deposits or senior unsecured bank debt) and remains significantly higher than pre-crisis levels.
The cost of funding from RMBS markets has also risen significantly since early 2018, reflecting both a rise in spreads on RMBS and the increase in the bank bill swap rate, which forms the base for RMBS pricing.
This means that non-bank lenders will struggle to compete with banks for the highest quality owner-occupier principal and interest mortgages, unless they are able to secure alternative long-term funding.
In addition, it does not currently appear feasible to significantly increase the capacity of RMBS markets.
This is because the investor base for such instruments is relatively narrow and securing new investors has been a prolonged and challenging task.
Non-bank lending to property developers is also growing fast, and poses more risk
The pick-up in non-bank lending to property developers has occurred as banks pulled back from this market due to concerns about increased risks.
Non-bank lending for property development has come from a range of sources, but the most prominent providers have been managed funds that specialise in financing property development.
This lending is mostly funded by equity investments from wealthy individuals and institutional investors, including foreign funds.
This is an area where data are very limited; however, liaison contacts report that non-bank financing of property development is widely available and still growing strongly, especially in Melbourne.
Non-bank lenders generally require lower levels of pre-sales than banks and allow greater leverage for borrowers, but also charge much higher interest rates.
Presales became harder to achieve as the property market cooled, and this contributed to the demand for non-bank financing from developers.
If more marginal developments proceed, because developers are able to obtain funding from non-bank lenders, the boost to supply would place further downward pressure on property prices.
This could have flow-on implications for banks’ property portfolios. In particular, the performance of banks’ exposures to property developers would deteriorate if apartment sales and prices experience further significant declines and settlement failures rise.
However, much of the lending by non-banks is expensive mezzanine debt (debt which is ranked below senior debt in the capital structure).
This debt is relatively expensive and so reduces the likelihood that low-return projects will proceed, minimising the financial stability risk.
Further, this mezzanine lending is subject to some external oversight because when a bank provides the senior debt it has visibility of the mezzanine debt and the risks this may pose to the developer.
This oversight may diminish as non-bank involvement in senior debt is becoming more common.
The financial stability risks from non-bank property lending are judged to be limited at this point, although risks associated with property development bear watching.
Incomplete data on non-bank lending activity currently make it challenging to assess these risks.
However, legislation passed in March 2018 expanded APRA’s data collection powers to encompass a wider range of non-bank entities.
Since then, a working group, consisting of APRA, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the RBA, has been working to improve the coverage of non-bank data.
This should help APRA and the RBA in their ongoing monitoring of financial stability risks arising from non-bank lending.
The Reserve Bank of Australia's Financial Stability Review provides the Bank's assessment of the current condition of the financial system and potential risks to financial stability. It contains a number of boxes on topics of special interest, along with occasional articles. The Review is issued half-yearly. 
Download the complete <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/fsr/2019/apr/pdf/financial-stability-review-2019-04.pdf" target="_blank" title="Link, opening in a new window, to PDF file.">Review here</a>.<abbr title="Megabytes"> </abbr>
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No evidence of banks loosening lending standards to compete: RBA

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The tightening in lending standards over the past year was not the cause of the recent decline in housing credit growth, the RBA has suggested.
Liaison with banks, other lenders and mortgage brokers suggests that the demand for housing loans has declined. 
"Liaison also reported that most people who apply for a housing loan can still obtain one, though they have to provide more documentation, answer more questions and wait a few days longer to be approved."
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/2/8/RBA%20Graph%2034.JPG" alt="">
The new landscape sees higher competition between lenders to issue new loans to low-risk borrowers, the RBA advised.
"Liaison with mortgage brokers and banks suggests that lenders are competing vigorously to attract borrowers with high-quality credit profiles that are applying for owner-occupier P&amp;I loans. "
"In particular, owner-occupiers with low loan-to-valuation ratios who can demonstrate the ability to service their loan are being offered quite low interest rates."
"Liaison also suggests that borrowers with these characteristics who have had a home loan for some time and want to refinance can often obtain a lower interest rate from another institution or convince their existing lender to lower the rate that they are paying." 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/2/8/RBA%20Graph%201.JPG" alt="">
There has been a slowing in credit growth, primarily for investors, as the credit given by major banks to investors contracted, consistent with a decline in investor housing loan approvals by these banks.
The RBA noted, "However, this had been partly offset by a pick-up in investor credit growth at a number of other ADIs and non-ADIs."
"The slowing in credit growth is consistent with reduced demand for housing finance, particularly from investors."
"Indeed, liaison with major banks and mortgage brokers indicates that they have been receiving significantly fewer loan applications over the past year or more."
"Also, liaison with the banks and mortgage brokers indicates that most loans are still being approved; banks reported that the conversion rates of applications to approvals were stable at high levels in 2018."
The fall in housing prices in major markets appears to have reduced the demand for credit, particularly from investors, not the other way round as has been previously suggested.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/2/8/RBA%20Graph%202.JPG" alt="">
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Tightening in lending standards not the cause of housing credit growth decline: RBA

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ASIC has accepted a court enforceable undertaking and fined timeshare lender Future Holiday Finance Pty Ltd (FHF) for responsible lending failures. FHF has paid a penalty of $135,000 in response to three infringement notices and will pay up to $3 million in compensation to consumers.
FHF provides finance for the purchase of memberships in ULTIQA Lifestyle, a points-based timeshare scheme.
ASIC found that FHF signed consumers up to loans when they attended ULTIQA Lifestyle timeshare sales seminars, without first assessing if customers could afford the loans or if the loans were right for them.
As a result, ASIC has issued three infringement notices to FHF for alleged breaches of its responsible lending obligations.
As well as failures with the timing of FHF’s loan assessments, ASIC had concerns about their quality. The court enforceable undertaking addresses FHF’s poor loan assessment practices which did not meet the standards required by law.
In addition, ASIC examined FHF’s loan document and identified a potentially unfair contract term. ASIC was concerned that the ‘entire agreement clause’ prevented verbal statements made by FHF from forming part of the contract. This clause is no longer included in the loan contract and FHF has agreed not to enforce this clause in any existing contract.
FHF will offer to review the loans of all customers who entered into contracts between 1 July 2012 and 30 August 2018. Refunds will be provided to customers where contracts were not suitable. This compensation program will be overseen by an independent expert who will also assess FHF's compliance with its responsible lending obligations and whether the company’s credit contract contains any unfair terms.
ASIC Deputy Chair Peter Kell said: "Timeshare finance operators must ensure that they comply with their responsible lending obligations.
"Consumers should always take the time to consider upfront and ongoing costs of timeshare, including finance, given they are a long-term commitment and can be difficult to sell."
ASIC encourages customers who took out a loan to purchase their ULTIQA Lifestyle timeshare membership to ask for their loan to be reassessed. Customers can contact FHF on (07) 5556 3000. ASIC’s MoneySmart also has information about FHF’s remediation program.
ASIC can issue an infringement notice where it has reasonable grounds to believe a person has contravened certain consumer credit protection laws. The payment of an infringement notice is not an admission of a contravention of the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth). 
ASIC is updating the regulatory framework for timesharing schemes. It is proposed that additional consumer protections apply, including to reflect the fact that it is common for a financier related to the timeshare operator to fund an acquisition of timeshare interests. ASIC’s website contains further detail of the proposed changes.
ASIC raised concerns with ULTIQA Lifestyle's disclosure and sales practices in 2016 after ASIC finalised a surveillance of ULTIQA Lifestyle Points Limited and ULTIQA Lifestyle Promotions Limited (ULTIQA Group), one of Australia's largest timeshare operators.
ASIC's scrutiny followed complaints received from consumers and other regulatory agencies alleging misleading and deceptive statements and unconscionable conduct by the ULTIQA Group. ASIC reviewed ULTIQA Group's disclosure and sales practices in relation to the sale of interests in ULTIQA Lifestyle, a points-based timeshare scheme with 11,792 members as at 30 June 2016.
ASIC made extensive enquiries of the ULTIQA Group regarding its disclosure and sales practices. In response to ASIC's enquiries, ULTIQA Group has:
<ol>
<li>amended its PDSs to give additional prominence to cooling-off rights, bonus weeks and split weeks;</li>
<li>amended point-of-sale documents to ensure applicants are aware of their cooling-off rights;</li>
<li>modified its monitoring and supervision of sales agents' compliance with and adherence to ULTIQA Group's sales processes and procedures;</li>
<li>removed and clarified potentially misleading statements from the members' kit given at point of sale, and agreed to monitor sales practices to ensure that certain features of Club membership benefits are not misrepresented; and</li>
<li>revised sales processes and practices by providing new members with temporary access to the 'members only' section of the Club's website during the cooling-off period to enable them to assess the benefit of the interests.</li>
</ol>
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ULTIQA timeshare lender Future Holiday Finance pays ASIC penalty 

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Melbourne-based La Trobe Financial, one of the largest non-bank lenders in the country, has struck a deal with Blackstone, a New York-based private equity company.
Blackstone has taken an 80% stake in the privately-owned firm for an undisclosed sum. 
Chief executive Greg O'Neill will retain 20% ownership and continue in his role at the 65 year old lending institution.
O'Neill said the opportunity for La Trobe to partner with Blackstone was the perfect fit for staff, customers and the business.
"The specialist credit space is experiencing a defining period of change and growth around the world right now and it is critical that we continue to build on our strong capital position, expand our networks and draw on global best practice," he said.
Australian Broker noted La Trobe Financial manages investment mandates in excess of A$13 billion, including a retail Credit Fund of almost $2 billion and over $1 billion of public RMBS bonds issued.
Currently La Trobe has over 200 staff with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
The AFR says Australia's $1.7 trillion mortgage market has become a hotspot for global private equity titans with more buyout funds tipped to follow Blackstone and KKR's recent forays into the shadow banking sector. 
The La Trobe deal follows the $675 million takeover of listed non-bank lender Pepper by KKR earlier this month.  
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Blackstone takes on La Trobe Financial in mortgage market buyout

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AFG's latest Mortgage Index results released today shows that major structural change in the Australian lending landscape is continuing. 
“Today’s results paint a very different picture from this time last year,” said AFG CEO <a href="https://www.afgonline.com.au/corporate/board-of-directors/david-bailey-ceo/">David Bailey</a>.
“Regulator-led tightening of investor lending has led to a further drop in investor volume and they are now sitting at an all time low of 29% of the market.
The shift in lender appetite from investors to upgraders is also evident in average loan size. “The national average home loan is now sitting at an all time high of $491,000,” said Mr Bailey. “This increase can be explained by the fact that people generally spend more for their primary place of residence than they do for an investment property.
The number of people looking to refinance has dropped to 25%, whilst those keen to upgrade their living situation is increasing with upgraders now representing 41% of the market. “This is also likely to be a reflection of the lack of lending options on the table for investors wanting to refinance, as lenders pull back from the investor market to meet regulator demands,” said Mr Bailey.
The major lenders’ share of the market is also down to a post-GFC low of 64.4% as borrowers continue to explore alternatives outside of the major bank owned brands.
Looking at loan type, fixed rates are now at 26.3% of all loans which confirms many Australians are anticipating that the next interest rate move will be up,” said Mr Bailey.
First home buyers are enjoying their third consecutive quarter in double digits since the beginning of 2014. “National market share for first home buyers has lifted to 13% across the last quarter, helped in part by new stamp duty concessions kicking in on July 1 for this segment of the market in Victoria and New South Wales.”
Victoria continues to set the pace with lodgement volumes in that state up 27% on the first quarter of last year whilst every other state has lost momentum to varying degrees. The strength of the Victorian home market is also evidenced in the average loan size for that state, which is 5% higher than it was at the same time last year.
<a class="image_link fancybox image" href="https://www.afgonline.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/mortgage-index-financial-year-2018-quarter-1.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-19646" src="https://www.afgonline.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/mortgage-index-financial-year-2018-quarter-1-1024x438.png" alt="" width="1024" height="438"></a>
“Overall, volumes are up on the previous two quarters, however, compared to the same time last year they are flat. This translates into the view that regulator-led changes are being felt everywhere except Victoria,” concluded Mr Bailey.
To download the full report <a href="https://www.afgonline.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/afg-mortgage-index-october-quarter-2017.pdf" target="_blank">click here.</a>
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Tightening of investor lending puts investor volume at all time low: AFG

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Non-bank lender Pepper Money has entered into a deal with an entity of global investment firm KKR that will see the latter acquire 100 percent of its shares worth $675.9 million.
In an ASX announcement, the lender laid out details of the acquisition.
The scheme will go to a shareholder vote and, if approved, will see Red Hot Australia Bidco Pty Ltd – an entity owned by KKR – buy the shares. 
Shareholders will be given the option of rolling their shares over to Bidco or selling them at $3.60 per share.
The journey towards the takeover bid started in 2016 when Pepper’s stock prices were not where the firm wanted them to be, the Australian Broker reported, citing Pepper CEO Mike Culhane.
“The market thought that they were pretty cheap so we had a number of inbound enquiries from private equity firms, Chinese corporates, etc. All manner of firms were interested in starting a conversation about taking a position or the sorts of transactions which could be done.”
At that stage, the board got involved, confidentiality agreements were written up, and information was shared about the company, he said.
“As we went through that process, it became clear that KKR was a potentially good partner for the business going forwards.”
Pepper’s name will not change nor will there be any staff changes, according to Culhane.
He said the board felt this was the best deal for its shareholders.
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