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

Mortgage Arrears

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Suncorp has unexpectedly declared a residential mortgage bond worth $120 million may not repay all investors.
It came after the share of borrowers in arrears rose to a trigger point, putting the distributions in doubt.
It has been reported it ranks as the first local mortgage bond to encounter difficulty since the global financial crisis, although this is disputed.
The original mortgage pool was heavy orientated to Queensland properties.
There are now around 1000 of the original 4800 loans still owing at an average $118,000.
<div class="page" title="Page 1"> </div>
<div class="page" title="Page 155"><img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/3/6/Suncorp%20Canary%201.JPG" alt=""></div>
“It certainly is a canary," CLSA banking analyst Brian Johnson said, although others suggest not so.
“To get to this point, for a securitisation this old to go bust — that is weird,” Mr Johnson said.
“We think it is an isolated case,” Commonwealth Bank says in a credit strategy note Tuesday. “We are cautious of the development but not alarmed.”
The tranche of mortgages in the <a href="https://www.suncorp.com.au/content/dam/suncorp/corporate/documents/investors/investor-reports/2019/a17-2010-1-investor-report-feb-19.pdf" target="_blank">Apollo series trust</a> sold in 2010 reached a rate of 3 per cent of borrowers more than 60 days overdue on their mortgage, the Queensland-based bank yesterday said.
Suncorp said the announcement did not affect other tranches of loans in the Apollo trust.
The 3 per cent arrears figure on the group of borrowers is three times the rate of arrears in Suncorp’s broader mortgage portfolio of about 1 per cent.
The series trust which has shrunk from its original volume of $1 billion since it was first sold to investors.
Suncorp said all investors were expected to continue to receive monthly payments on the instalments on interest, but the principal amount on their investment would be diverted from subordinated debt holders to the highest class of shareholders, AAA note holders.
The distributions will be then staggered according to the class of shareholders until all funds are exhausted.
Suncorp also expected the Apollo trust tranche to shrink further over the coming year to meet the 10 per cent threshold which allows the bank to close the trust.
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The bank said at this point, subject to regulatory approval, it was expected that all holders were expected to receive the full principal amount once the trust was called.
“In the case of the APOLLO Series 2010-1, this is a very small number of customers going into arrears. As for the broader Suncorp retail portfolio, the total arrears is low at around 1 per cent,” a Suncorp spokesman said.
The mortgage bond was referred to in <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/information/foi/disclosure-log/pdf/121305-65-74.pdf" target="_blank">a 2012 RBA analysis of LVRs</a>.
There is no indication of the location of the properties in default, with speculation the bond has disproportionate amounts of mining-boom towns.
There was a strong Brisbane presence in the original loans.
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The purchase price for the mortgage loans was $999,949,816.
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They were required, generally, to be secured by a registered first ranking mortgage over Australian residential property (in limited circumstances a property can be secured by a second ranking mortgage). 
It has been suggested the incident is not unprecedented, as other securitisation transactions have failed step down provisions in recent years due to delinquency rates and unreimbursed charge-offs that were subsequently repaid or cured and the transactions in question have reverted to pro-rata pay.
These step-down provisions are in place to protect senior note-holders and on each occasion the mechanisms have worked as planned.
For the Apollo 2010-1, there are no charge-offs to outstanding notes, all principal balances of notes are still 100% (i.e. Invested Amount equals Stated Amount per 3rd Feb reporting).
The transaction features 100% mortgage insurance coverage (LMI) from QBE LMI, which provides an additional layer of coverage for the noteholders in the event of mortgage default; to date there have been zero reported losses on sale with no LMI claims.
The current transactions size is $120 million down from an original $1bn, a pool factor of 12 percent.
The transaction features a 10 percent clean up call.
Suncorp have exercised these 10 percent clean up-calls on previously outstanding transactions. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Suncorp arrears shock in 2010 residential mortgage bond

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Let's take a considered look at S&amp;P's mortgage arrears.
Basically unchanged throughout 2018 at 1.38% for 30+ day arrears. 
<div><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vo8SaZNYHOY/XGz3wSX9jCI/AAAAAAAAukc/e-f-TJrPVXQ6rwdaW0bW0UfV4GEgRBzxACLcBGAs/s640/A4.jpg" width="640" height="592" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="797"></div>
 90+ day arrears are now up a notch to 0.75%.
<div>That's mainly related to major banks locking interest-only (IO) borrowers in as they roll over to P&amp;I loans.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>While this could be a drag on consumption most IO borrowers have buffers measured in years, and most didn't borrow anywhere near to their maximum capacity either.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I'd argue that most of the little mortgage stress that there is has been inflicted by excruciating mortgage regulation rather than rising unemployment, mortgage rates, or over-stretched borrowers. Weakness in Western Australia's economy is the other main contributory factor. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In fact, job vacancies are at record highs according to the ABS surveys, both in absolute terms and as a share of the labour force.  The unemployment rate is also at the lowest level in 6½ years at just 4.98%, while the respective unemployment rates in New South Wales and Victoria are actually the lowest on record. </div>
 
<div><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hy-30cTR-MI/XGz3vrZOGoI/AAAAAAAAukU/RQ2aHjaL1rADByCjEKtZjfV83mPpaFXBgCLcBGAs/s640/A1.jpg" width="640" height="374" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1377"></div>
 
<div>The main deterioration in arrears has clearly been in Western Australia, now at 2.73% for 30+ day arrears.</div>
 
<div><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G6W_dyRJsAs/XGz3vsE1gzI/AAAAAAAAukY/Kwhx1eVp658hbZ3Qx5Ty-bm9WjanrF38wCLcBGAs/s640/A2.jpg" width="640" height="370" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1395"></div>
 And non-confirming arrears remain close to their lowest ever level. 
<div><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pZl-i00tyY0/XGz3vhO-h_I/AAAAAAAAukQ/nwOfbvqfZoQFE4QwTJSnZHLnQ8SeNzT_wCLcBGAs/s640/A3.jpg" width="640" height="370" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1396"></div>
 Unemployment is low, mortgage rates are low, and there are plenty of job openings. Banks just need to lend on a more reasonable and timely basis.
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Arrears pain is dull but mortgage regulation is excruciating: Pete Wargent 

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<div>Another data series suggesting that 30-60 day arrears are now very close to the lowest level on record.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>First it was <a href="http://petewargent.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/arrears-down-again" target="_blank">S&amp;P Global</a> that reported as such, as I charted at the attached link. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>And this time, it's Moody's.</div>
 
<div class="separator"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zDA0uid4qrw/WlxunAW2WVI/AAAAAAAAn7o/nNM0owABILQ81EpoWGwXoqVbINf1otG0wCLcBGAs/s1600/Moody%2527s.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zDA0uid4qrw/WlxunAW2WVI/AAAAAAAAn7o/nNM0owABILQ81EpoWGwXoqVbINf1otG0wCLcBGAs/s640/Moody%2527s.jpg" width="640" height="310" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1375"></a></div>
Source: Moody's
<div>Total 90+ day Prime RMBS arrears declined from 1.62 per cent to 1.54 per cent in the September quarter, according to Moody's Investor Service. The main improvement was seen in shadow lenders, with delinquencies declining from 2.85 per cent to 2.59 per cent, which there was also a solid decline in non-confirming loan arrears to 3.3 per cent. Elsewhere it was reported that loan impairment charges were also close to record lows in 2017. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Good to see. </div>
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Mortgage arrears down again, including shadow lenders: Pete Wargent

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Arrears on loans underlying Australian residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) transactions declined nationwide during the third quarter, in line with cyclical expectations, according to a recent report by S&amp;P Global Ratings.
Continued employment growth and low interest rates have kept arrears low in most parts of the country, but there are marked differences in the arrears levels of resource and non-resource states as well as metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, according to the report RMBS Performance Watch: Australia.
RMBS Performance Watch: Australia looks at mortgage arrears across the country, based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian geographical standard classifications.
The 20 worst-performing regions in the country are predominantly in the metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas of Western Australia and nonmetropolitan Queensland, reflecting the greater impact of the downturn in mining investment in these locations.
The areas with lower arrears are mostly in inner and outer Sydney.
This reflects the correlation between property prices and arrears performance for more seasoned loans, which benefit from the improved equity build up and enhanced refinancing prospects this affords.
Amortizing loans with high levels of seasoning in metropolitan areas are underpinning the solid arrears performance of loans underlying Australian RMBS transactions.
The performance of these loans and ones originated more recently could diverge if interest rates start to rise, however, testing the prudence of lending standards.
We expect arrears performance to remain relatively stable while employment conditions remain stable and unemployment is relatively low.
However, the currently high level of household debt has increased borrowers' sensitivity to future interest rate rises.
We believe this risk is more heightened for higher loan-to-value ratio loans.
This is because there is less equity built up in the underlying property and such borrowers' refinancing prospects are likely to be less favorable, particularly in an environment of tightening lending conditions.
Standard &amp; Poor's Performance Index (SPIN) measures the weighted-average arrears more than 30 days past due on residential mortgage loans in publicly and privately rated Australian RMBS transactions.
The value of loans underlying Australian RMBS transactions, including noncapital market issuance, was A$128.951 billion.
Click here to download the <a href="https://www.capitaliq.com/ciqdotnet/login-sso.aspx?contextType=external&amp;username=string&amp;enablePersistentLogin=true&amp;OverrideRetryLimit=0&amp;contextValue=%2Foam&amp;password=secure_string&amp;challenge_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.capitaliq.com%2Fciqdotnet%2Flogin-sso.aspx&amp;request_id=8585133767695543534&amp;authn_try_count=0&amp;locale=en_AU&amp;resource_url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.capitaliq.com%252FCIQDotNet%252FLogin.aspx" target="_blank">full report.</a>
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

S&P says mortgage arrears stable thanks to positive job growth and low interest rates

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Recent Macquarie Group updates to clients indicate a continued decline in arrears.
Mortgage arrears figures charted by Macquarie Bank show RMBS arrears at near decade lows across all days in arrears categories.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Home loan arrears at near-decade low: Macquarie chart

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The proportion of Australian residential mortgages more than 30 days in arrears rose to 1.62% in May 2017, the highest rate in five years, according to Moody's Investors Service.
The ratings agency further said that delinquencies would continue to increase through 2017 due to the weak economies of mining-dependent states.
Even on a year-on-year basis, the figure was higher than 1.50% in May 2016.
“We expect delinquencies to continue to increase through the remainder of 2017, as weaker conditions in states reliant on the mining industry, high underemployment, and less favourable housing market and income dynamics will continue to drive the rate higher", says Alena Chen, a Moody's senior analyst.
The mining downturn had dampened growth in resource-reliant states: Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.
“We expect this situation will weigh on mortgage performance for some time,” added Chen.
Higher delinquencies raise the risk of mortgage defaults and are therefore credit negative for Australian residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS), says the latest report titled RMBS - Australia: Mortgage delinquency map: Home loan arrears rise to five-year high.
While mortgage delinquencies rose to record highs in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia, they declined in New South Wales and Victoria, and fell slightly from record high levels in Tasmania.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/19/Moodys1.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/09/19/Moodys1.png" alt="">
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They were also up in Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory over the year to May 2017, Moody’s said.
In a previous assessment, Moody's had said that mortgage delinquencies hit record highs in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory and increased nationwide over the year to November 2016.
"Regions with exposure to the resource and mining sectors dominated the  list of areas with the highest delinquencies in May 2017. Eight of the 10 regions with the highest 30+ delinquency rates were in either Western Australia or Queensland, and many of these regions are exposed to industries directly or indirectly related to mining and resources," said Chen.
The ten regions with the lowest mortgage delinquencies in Australia in May 2017 were all in Sydney and Melbourne, where housing market and economic conditions were the most supportive for mortgage borrowers.
The Western Australian economy is heavily reliant on the resources sector and growth has slowed over the past three years, following the end of the mining boom. 
Western Australia's final demand (a measure of domestic economic growth that excludes exports) fell sharply by 8% over the year to March 2017 owing to lower business investment.
"With Australia's two core housing markets, we note that prices in Sydney and Melbourne rose 12.37% and 15.93% respectively over the year to July 2017, and 11.08% and 11.52% over the year to May 2017. Rising house prices have supported mortgage performance in these states, giving borrowers at risk of, or already in arrears, the option to sell their properties quickly for a good price to repay their loans," says Chen.
"However, as house prices continue rising without a corresponding increase in incomes to pay for the more expensive houses, housing affordability decreases and the risk of delinquencies and defaults rises," adds Chen.
Moody's further noted that Australia's financial regulators have introduced a range of measures to improve the quality of lending, curtail mortgage risk, and reduce overall household debt.
So, while aggregate house prices have continued to rise, other metrics like home sales and sales-to-new-listings ratios are softening, signaling a cooling in the housing market.
Persistently high underemployment will also constrain economic performance and wage growth, adversely affecting mortgage performance.
While Australia's unemployment rate was 5.60% in August 2017 and has remained below 6% since January 2016, its underemployment rate is much higher, averaging 8.57% Australia-wide in August 2017.
Underemployment results in lower income and reduced capacity to make mortgage repayments, increasing the risk of delinquencies and defaults.
 
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Australian residential mortgage arrears at 5-year high, will rise further: Moody's

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The amount of residential mortgages nationwide more than 30 days in arrears increased to 1.52 percent in November 2106 from 1.2 percent from November 2015, according to Moody's.
Mortgage delinquencies hit record highs in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory and increased nationwide over the year to November 2016.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/04/6/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-06%20at%201.51.06%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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The report said the ACT had the lowest 30+ delinquency rate (0.91 percent) of any state or territory in Australia in November 2016.
"A high proportion of borrowers in the ACT are employed by the government, which offers more secure and stable employment compared with jobs in the private sector. The ACT accounts for just 2.12 percent of the total loans in the RMBS we rate," it said.
"30+ delinquency rates in the Northern Territory (2.23 percent) and South Australia (2.16 percent) also hit record highs in November 2016.
"Final demand in the Northern Territory contracted 3.8 percent over the year to December 2016, the weakest performance in the country behind Western Australia.
"South Australia's final demand increased 1.3 percent, below the 1.6 percent national average.
"The populations in the Northern Territory and South Australia are both relatively small, and mortgages from this territory and state account for just 0.68% and 4.72 percent of the loans in the RMBS portfolio."
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/04/6/Screen%20Shot%202017-04-06%20at%201.55.11%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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