<p>There are few property developers nationally that can boast a workbook like the ASX-listed developer Cedar Woods. With eight apartment buildings under construction across four states, Cedar Woods is well positioned to take advantage of what Managing Director Nathan Blackburne says is a “national shortage of apartments.”</p>

<p>Cedar Woods purposefully has a diversified portfolio of apartments, townhouses, commercial, and residential communities across the country, enabling the business to remain resilient through market cycles and respond to shifting buyer demand.</p>

<p>Blackburne says there is a great shortfall of housing of all typologies, none more so for apartments. He says that is the case particularly in Perth, where the lack of new apartment projects has been particularly acute.</p>

<p>“Perth has been more affected than Melbourne,” Blackburne explains, noting that over the past five years, “very few new apartment projects” have been launched in either city. Historically, apartments made up around 20 per cent of new housing nationally. Cedar Woods estimates that figure has fallen to around 10 per cent today, a gap they believe must close.</p>

<h2>Apartment appeal rebounding as supply shrinks</h2>

<p>There are signs the tide is turning however. Blackburne says buyer apartment sentiment really picked up in mid 2025. “In October we saw our strongest sales month for apartments in Perth.” The buyer demand has driven their Subiaco apartment development, Incontro, to nearly 70 per cent sold. The increased buyer sentiment has strengthened Cedar Woods’ confidence in bringing forward the next apartment project in Western Australia, a three tower development planned for the prime site on Upham Street in Subiaco, adjacent to Incontro.</p>

<p>Demand is being driven by several factors; the lack of new apartments coming to the market, the increased demand with migration far outstripping the aforementioned supply, and the appetite to live closer to the city.</p>

<p>“Over the past three years, Perth’s population has grown by around 250,000 people, while only around 50,000 dwellings have been delivered,” Blackburne says, adding that more than twice that number would be needed just to keep up.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said that many buyers are being forced to the urban fringe because of the greater supply of land product, but that, Blackburne argues, is pushing the fringe further out and motivating a re-evaluation of the value of inner- and middle-suburb apartments.</p>

<p>Demographic shifts are helping drive this rethink. Cedar Woods is seeing more boomers downsizing, young professionals entering the market, and a rising number of single-person households. There’s also a growing trend of parents buying apartments for teenage children, motivated by fears that housing prices will become out of reach. “It’s not only a strong investment now, but it can serve as a first home when their children move out.”</p>

<h2>National diversification strategy</h2>

<p>Cedar Woods’ strategy is not limited to Perth. Blackburne outlines their aim to diversify by price point, product type, and geography, which “gives us a broad customer base and smoother earnings profile.” Throughout their markets, they’re combining apartments, townhouses, and masterplanned communities, allowing flexibility to pivot toward undersupplied segments as demand evolves.</p>

<p>In Victoria, Cedar Woods is pressing ahead with a major site in Fairfield, just northeast of Melbourne’s CBD, a site which Blackburne says the company has had its sights on for many years. They are planning to deliver three towers with over 300 apartments, with the plans likely to be submitted in early 2026.</p>

<p>Blackburne also expresses optimism about broader inner-Melbourne supply dynamics.<br />
<br />
“While Melbourne’s apartment market is better supplied than Perth’s, and population growth remains strong, Cedar Woods believes the current stock will be absorbed quickly,” Blackburne says, however he warns that policy disincentives remain. “In Victoria … there are quite a lot of obstacles for apartment buyers,” he says, adding that the industry is working with the state government to “remove those barriers” and avert prolonged undersupply.</p>

<p>Cedar Woods has plans on the desks of the VIC Government to develop a 20-storey tower in Southbank, in the heart of Melbourne’s arts precinct. Designed by Rothelowman, the proposed tower will deliver 180 apartments, ranging from studios to three-bedrooms, along with creative amenity space devoted to arts and digital industries, a food and drink tenancy at street level, and a 700sqm recreation deck with indoor lounge space will provide a resident amenity hub.</p>

<p>Blackburne frames the project as a response to Melbourne’s growing undersupply of signature inner-city living. “We saw a thematic: a looming undersupply in inner-Melbourne, particularly in high-quality apartments, and wanted to capitalise on that,” he says. The site’s proximity to the Melbourne Arts Precinct, key tram lines, and Southbank’s cultural fabric makes it especially appealing, Blackburne says.</p>

<h2>Charting the course forward</h2>

<p>On top of the apartment developments underway and planned in Perth and Melbourne, Cedar Woods has a multi-stage apartment development in Brisbane’s Woolloowin, and several years remaining on their masterplanned communities in Williams Landing in Melbourne and Glenside in Adelaide, both of which offer a mix of apartments and townhouses.</p>

<p>Blackburne says the developer has been able to mitigate some of the macro risks currently at play in the new development space, particularly in the construction sector.</p>

<p>“Cedar Woods has been able to make many apartment projects work because of good buying of the raw land in the first place, as well as its strong pipeline of apartment projects, enabling the company to attract builders to build deep, multi-year relationships.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>For Cedar Woods, 2026 is set to be significant, with anticipated approvals and submissions laying the groundwork for fresh apartment supply and multiple launches in 2027.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Joel Robinson

Cedar Woods ramps up apartment development amid Australia’s deepening housing shortfall

<p data-end="524" data-start="374">Rockdale has long been characterized as a suburb on the cusp. Well-located, well-connected, but historically underserved by modern apartment offerings.</p>

<p data-end="956" data-start="526">It has everything going for it: outstanding connectivity to the Sydney CBD, just four train stops to Central Station, strong local amenity anchored by Roc​kdale Plaza and a growing main-street dining scene, and enviable proximity to Brighton-Le-Sands. The six-kilometre beachfront is lined with bayside restaurants, cafés, and walking paths, giving residents a lifestyle typically associated with much more expensive coastal suburbs.</p>

<p data-end="1241" data-start="958">What Rock​dale has lacked is high-quality contemporary apartments. Most existing developments date back several decades, with floorplans that no longer support modern living needs, and buildings constructed long before today’s standards in engineering, efficiency, and sustainability.</p>

<p data-end="1627" data-start="1243">Lender, fund manager and apartment developer Princeton identified the gap early. Seeing all the right ingredients in Rockd​ale, transport, lifestyle, retail, and affordability, they set out to deliver what the suburb was missing. Their answer is <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marque-rockdale-602-608-princes-highway-rockdale-nsw-2216">Marque Rockdale</a>, a collection of 58 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments now nearing completion just a short walk from Ro​ckdale Plaza, home to over 50 specialist retailers and anchored by&nbsp;Woolworths, Big W and Aldi.</p>

<p data-end="1627" data-start="1243">[smartcode_project:default project_id=136442 project_image_fid=355216]</p>

<p data-end="1847" data-start="1680">Understanding they would be resetting the benchmark for the area, Princeton focused on ensuring buyers received best-in-class quality, longevity, and protection.</p>

<p data-end="2400" data-start="1849">A major step was securing the sought-after Latent Defects Insurance policy from Resilience Insurance. This policy protects apartment buyers from structural or waterproofing defects for the first 10 years of the building’s lifecycle. Crucially, it is first-response insurance, meaning that if an issue arises, the insurer pays immediately for remediation—rather than waiting for lengthy investigations to determine fault before work can begin. For purchasers, it offers an unprecedented layer of security rarely seen in Sydney apartment projects.</p>

<p data-end="2845" data-start="2402">During construction, independent building inspection firm SDSS has been providing Technical Inspection Services, bringing highly specialised construction experts on-site at key stages to ensure workmanship meets the highest standards. The project is being built by Coplex, an iCIRT-rated construction company, and throughout the build SDSS has frequently referred to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marque-rockdale-602-608-princes-highway-rockdale-nsw-2216">Marque Rockdale</a> as one of the best projects currently on their books.</p>

<p data-end="3134" data-start="2884">Princeton also doubled down on comfort, acoustics, and livability.&nbsp;As well as being the only building along Princes Highway with a landscaped buffer between the building and the road, Princeton has purposefully included double-glazed windows in all apartments to reduce noise.</p>

<p data-end="3134" data-start="2884">Apartments feature double-glazed, noise-reducing windows and ducted air conditioning in every residence.&nbsp;In addition to the project’s transport convenience, Princeton has partnered with GoGet Car Share to provide a dedicated GoGet vehicle housed permanently within the building. Residents will receive a free annual GoGet membership, paying only usage fees, offering a flexible alternative to owning a second car and enhancing the project’s sustainability credentials.</p>

<p data-end="3134" data-start="2884">[smartcode_project:default project_id=136442 project_image_fid=277075]</p>

<p data-end="3271" data-start="3136">Residents will enjoy an exclusive rooftop oasis, purpose-designed as an extension of their living space. The communal rooftop includes BBQ facilities and outdoor entertaining areas, a&nbsp;pergola-shaded dining zone, a dedicated children’s play space, and a landscaped herb garden.</p>

<p data-end="3558" data-start="3424">Princeton and Coplex is approaching completion of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marque-rockdale-602-608-princes-highway-rockdale-nsw-2216">Marque Rockdale</a>, and are expecting residents to move in early in the new year. The mix of apartment configurations and price points have been a hit with young professionals, those who need to commute to the CBD, and families who appreciate doorstep amenity.</p>

<p>“Marque is a place where residents will be proud to call it home," Princeton Head of Development George Young says.</p>

<p>"We’ve worked really hard with Coplex and our design team to deliver an incredible building for the future home owners to make their own. The homes are all designed to allow the residents to make it their own, a place to belong and live a stylish urban life."</p>

<p data-end="3558" data-start="3424">[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=136442]</p>


Marque Rockdale sets a new standard of apartment living in Sydney's south

<p>Plans to revitalize the&nbsp;long-established Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre into a mixed-use community combining living, shopping, dining, health and wellbeing facilities, have been proposed to the Gold Coast City Council.</p>

<p>The Benowa Gardens Urban Village proposal by Benowa Gardens Holdings seeks to transform the 17,660 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/203-ashmore-road-benowa-qld-4217">203 Ashmore Road</a> into a contemporary, sustainable destination that reflects global trends in modern community design while retaining the familiar local character residents value.</p>

<p>The site is bordered by Ashmore and Benowa Roads and Carrara, with ready access to Pindara private hospital, four schools, TAFE, sports fields and the nearby Botanic Gardens.</p>

<p>Benowa Gardens Holdings is seeking a preliminary Council approval only for its proposed masterplan and variations to the site’s Neighbourhood Centre zoning.&nbsp;<br />
Formal Public Exhibition commenced Friday and also marks the start of comprehensive community consultation with surroundings residents, schools, P&amp;Cs, existing retailers, nearby sporting clubs, arts groups and Botanic Gardens volunteers.</p>

<p>Designed by Neylan Architecture, the masterplan envisions around 413 new apartments, complemented by upgraded retail, dining, and wellness amenities as part of 10,000 sqm of retail, and 9,630 sqm of office space/medical suites.</p>

<p>The development will feature green open spaces, shaded promenades, landscaped terraces, pedestrian walkways, and expanded healthcare and lifestyle services in synergy with the neighbouring Pindara Private Hospital and local schools.</p>

<p><img alt="Benowa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="244f4d54-2e67-4141-92b8-78d5735f47c2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-11-26%20at%2012.47.34%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=FmF5lzhpwVZc7POsdB770TJ_Bf2c0od8" /></p>

<p>“This concept embraces the way people increasingly want to live - safely, conveniently, and within strong local communities,” said Patrick Lu, Director of Benowa Gardens Holding.</p>

<p>“Benowa Gardens will set a new benchmark for integrated living on the Gold Coast. It’s a thoughtful, community-minded evolution that brings global best practice in urban design to one of the city’s most established areas.”</p>

<p>Lu said this isn’t just a redevelopment, it’s a renewal with purpose.</p>

<p>“Benowa Gardens has served the community for decades. Our goal is to ensure it continues to do so for generations to come, as a lively, connected Urban Village where people can truly live, work and thrive. We’re already talking to school leaders and the community to seek their feedback on our proposal, and have taken on board their ideas to improve student safety with additional “traffic calming” measures on Carrara Street. We’re conducting meaningful and sincere consultations and want to play our role in preserving and enhancing the local community."</p>

<p>The proposed redevelopment aims to deliver tangible benefits across the Benowa and wider Gold Coast community, including:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Improvement of retail amenity, to capture the under-served local market demand and keep the local business at their local shopping centre.</li>
	<li>Housing diversity; offering a range of apartment types for key workers, downsizers, and local families who wish to remain in the area.</li>
	<li>Enhanced shopping and dining; revitalised retail spaces designed to support local businesses and attract more visitors.</li>
	<li>Health and wellbeing access; additional medical and wellness amenities to complement existing local facilities.</li>
	<li>Improved traffic flow and access; two new access points, upgraded intersections, upgrade pedestrian pathway’s signal and proposed upgrade of pedestrian and cycle connections/space to improve safety and convenience, especially for school children.</li>
	<li>Environmental sustainability; energy-efficient design, green rooftops, and water-sensitive landscaping to reduce emissions and enhance comfort.</li>
	<li>Local jobs and investment; supporting hundreds of construction and long-term roles while stimulating local economic growth.</li>
</ul>

<p>The group behind the project boasts extensive experience in the property development industry, both in Australia and international markets. Over the past 23 years, the group has been involved in the development and management of a diverse portfolio of assets including residential dwellings, shopping centres, bulky-goods stores, community and medical facilities, childcare centres, offices, hotels, and taverns, across Brisbane, Ipswich, and the Gold Coast.</p>


Benowa Gardens to become new mixed-use urban village

<p>Demand for townhouses in Melbourne’s inner west has surged as buyers seek the elusive combination of space, affordability, and location.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With family-first apartments increasingly rare and standalone homes often out of reach, townhouses have emerged as the new sweet spot, delivering generous living areas with lower maintenance needs within close proximity to the Melbourne CBD.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/kings-lane-south-kingsville-50-58-new-street-south-kingsville-vic-3015">Kings Lane</a>, the new under-construction townhouse development by the family-owned developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/blue-run">Blue Run</a>&nbsp;in South Kingsville, responds directly to this trend. Comprising just 25 residences designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, the project offers a compelling alternative to both apartment downsizers and family upsizers. With three-bedroom homes priced under $1 million, it presents one of the area’s rare attainable pathways to townhouse living less than eight kilometres from the CBD.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=145042 project_image_fid=355147]</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-kingsville-vic-3015">South Kingsville</a> itself is quietly becoming one of Melbourne’s most dynamic pockets of urban renewal. Flanked by the established appeal of Yarraville, Newport and Williamstown, the suburb balances quiet, village-like streetscapes with major infrastructure upgrades and a growing slate of retail, dining and lifestyle amenity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kings Lane occupies a well-connected site at 50–58 New Street, just off Blackshaws Road and within walking distance of the emerging Union Quarter precinct, a major retail destination anchored by Woolworths, specialty food outlets and wellness services.</p>

<p>A 400-metre stroll brings residents to the Vernon Street shops, a local favourite known for its mix of independent grocers, cafes and family-run eateries. For broader shopping options, Altona Gate Shopping Centre and Yarraville Square are both within a short drive. Spotswood IGA and the Williamstown retail strip further broaden the convenience of daily essentials.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=145042 project_image_fid=355139]</p>

<p>Dining options in the area lean toward eclectic and community-driven, with standouts like Rocco’s Deli, Dad and Dave’s, and Pizza d’ASPORTO offering a range of casual and elevated menus. Cafés such as Hudson Road Wine &amp; Beer and Blacksheep Coffee add to the lively yet local feel of the neighbourhood.</p>

<p>Green space is another hallmark of life at Kings Lane. Edwards Reserve is close enough for morning walks or casual sport, while larger parks like Newport Lakes, Yarraville Gardens, and Cruickshank Park are all a few minutes’ drive away. More than half of the nine-hectares of new green space or parkland being created as part of the West Gate tunnel works is located just at the end of New Street, the same street as Kings Lane.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>For those with school-age children, South Kingsville is home to a range of quality childcare centres and schools, including Kingsville Primary, Spotswood Primary, and Williamstown North Primary. Community Children’s childcare and South Kingsville Preschool are nearby, making the suburb particularly attractive to young families.</p>

<p>Transport links continue to improve, with Spotswood Station and the West Gate Freeway both within a five-minute radius. Future upgrades, including the proposed sky rail for Newport and Spotswood, and the delivery of the West Gate Tunnel project, promise even better access to the CBD and Melbourne Airport in the years to come.</p>

<p>Kings Lane's 25 all-electric townhouses are currently under construction, and will complete in late 2026.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145042]</p>


Staff Writer

Kings Lane townhouses offers rare value in Melbourne's thriving inner west

<p>Developer-builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/billbergia">Billbergia</a> has set a new apartment price record for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/rhodes-nsw-2138">Rhodes</a>, a suburb the company has been instrumental in transforming over the past two decades.</p>

<p>The milestone follows the delivery of thousands of apartments across the harbourside peninsula, culminating in the $4.5 million sale of a 220 sqm penthouse in the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/rhodes-central-oasis-39-marquet-street-rhodes-nsw-2138">Rhodes Central Oasis</a> building, which Billbergia completed earlier this year. It is the first apartment in Rhodes to surpass not only the $4 million mark for settled sales, but also the $3 million mark, eclipsing the previous $2.75 million record set in 2021.</p>

<p>The purchaser had originally secured several apartments in the 40-storey tower off the plan as investments. During settlement, she spent more time in the Rhodes area and was so impressed with the building that she decided to downsize from her Northbridge home into the four-bedroom plus MPR penthouse.</p>

<p>The sale underscores the long-term work Billbergia has undertaken in Rhodes since the early 2000s. The company, rated 4.5 Gold Stars under the NSW iCIRT system, identifying it as one of the state’s most trustworthy and financially secure developers, was a pioneer of the area’s urban renewal. What was once a heavily industrial waterfront has become one of Sydney’s most successful examples of transit-oriented development.</p>

<p><img alt="Billbergia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="56093d7f-db18-42f4-bf9b-115bdf76f5f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-11-26%20at%2011.10.06%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pca77Mr.H83nwXbJexmaLUAqBewtQ7d9" /></p>

<p>Billbergia is now driving the peninsula’s next major evolution: the most ambitious project in its nearly four-decade history. They are planning the Rhodes Bay Masterplan, an eight-tower, mixed-use precinct on Leeds Street. Currently with the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority which is now championing large-scale projects across the state, the Rhodes Bay Masterplan lays the groundwork for a generational reshaping of this important pocket of Sydney’s Inner West.</p>

<p>The masterplan spans more than 31,000 sqm of amalgamated industrial land along the foreshore, land that has been privately held and inaccessible to the community for more than a century. According to Billbergia’s Development Director, Saul Moran, reclaiming this land for public use is central to the company’s vision.<br />
<br />
“What’s so exciting is that we have over 300 metres of privately-held industrialised waterfront, land that’s been locked away for more than 100 years, which we’re bringing back to the community,” he says. “It’s taken many years to assemble sites like these, and the goal now is to transform them into meaningful public space where new homes can be built in an integrated, amenity-rich setting.”</p>

<p>At full completion, the Rhodes Bay Masterplan is expected to deliver over 2000 apartments, with the first 1000 to be completed by 2029. Billbergia’s design focused on nine slender towers, so they could give back more to the ground plane. There will be more than 16,000sq m of new parkland and recreation space, including sports fields, a foreshore play area and waterfront green links. Around 14,600 sqm of retail is also proposed, extending the precinct’s role as a true mixed-use hub.</p>

<p><img alt="Rhodes Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="240ffc41-4f26-421a-9606-5c56f6fc2d93" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-11-26%20at%2011.05.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=BkBxZr7S8CAt1vgNa8AF3zjdc3YuVh0L" /></p>

<p>“Density only works when it’s paired with amenity, transport and open space, and that’s what’s made Rhodes such an amazing success story,” Moran says, adding that the demographic shift Billbergia has seen over the last two decades has informed their future development pipeline in the suburb.</p>

<p>“Rhodes has moved from being largely an investor market to a strong owner-occupier community,” Moran says. “There’s real demand for three-bedroom homes, flexible intergenerational layouts, and apartments people can grow into.”</p>

<p>&nbsp;“We’re designing taller, more slender towers to free up the ground level for sport, recreation and green space. High-density communities thrive when people have the best backyards in Australia, and that’s what we want to create here.”</p>

<p>Demand remains robust, evidenced by Billbergia’s recent results. “We achieved a record sale across the entirety of Rhodes Central just last week,” Moran says. “It shows the depth of confidence buyers have in what’s being built here.”</p>

<p>Billbergia’s vertically integrated model allows them to overcome the recent cost escalation and challenges in the build environment. “Having an in-house construction team lets us control feasibility, value management and quality from day one,” Moran says. “It’s critical in the current market, where construction escalation is at the forefront of every project’s viability.”</p>

<p>The company is also leveraging the NSW Government’s new Housing Delivery Authority process, which Moran describes as a more efficient pathway without compromising design standards.<br />
<br />
“We’re really applauding the NSW Government for its efforts to increase housing supply. There’s been a remarkable improvement in how they’re helping deliver more homes, more quickly.”</p>

<p>Billbergia has already commenced construction of Stage One of the Rhodes Bay masterplan. They will be lodging the State Significant Development Application before Christmas.</p>

<p>“We’re moving quickly, but with due care,” Moran says. “This is a generational precinct, and it needs to be done right.”</p>


Billbergia smashes suburb record as Rhodes transformation continues

<p>First home lending by the National Australia Bank has hit a record high.</p>

<p>&quot;Low interest rates, government incentives and greater working flexibility continue to allow first home buyers to get into their first place with April the strongest month in a generation,&quot; NAB executive for home ownership Andy Kerr said.</p>

<p>Its first four months 2021 saw its lending to first timers surge 67 per cent on 2020.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=3494 project_image_fid=89056]</p>

<p>Its lending was up 9 per cent on the final four months of 2020, with activity is returning to inner city apartments.</p>

<p>Outer metropolitan buying remained strong.</p>

<p>Kerr said buyers are back in Victoria</p>

<p>&quot;It&#39;s a bounce-back story for Victoria in 2021,&quot; Kerr told Nine News.</p>

<p>Mount Waverley saw the biggest jump in demand from first home buyers, up 180 per cent, compared with the same period last year.</p>

<p>Richmond, Croydon and Berwick all rose more than 140 per cent.</p>

<p>Buying at Wollert, Glen Waverley, St Albans and Glenroy rose by between 45 percent and 59 percent.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=3298]</p>

<p>Kerr said the level of first-home buyer activity was unusually high.</p>

<p>&ldquo;The level of first-home buyer activity has been like nothing we&rsquo;ve seen in a generation,&rdquo; he said.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Record low interest rates and government incentives continue to support demand and it&rsquo;s been great to hear stories of some customers purchasing their first home earlier than expected.&rdquo;</p>

<p>He advised buyer enthusiasm for regional properties has slowed since last year as lending for regional properties eased off by about 4 per cent.</p>


The NAB executive for home ownership Andy Kerr said the level of first-home buyer activity was unusually high

jchancellor

NAB first home lending hits record high as inner city apartment buying picks up

The NAB has cut its variable investor interest-only rate by 30 basis points to 2.99 per cent.

The big four lender also cut its variable principle and interest loan for investors with an 80 per cent or less loan/value ratio to 2.79 per cent last week.

“NAB wants a bigger slice of the action in the investor market and have been tweaking both their serviceability rules and their rates to attract new business, after losing ground to its competitors in this arena," 
RateCity.com.au research director Sally Tindall said.

With new lending to investors in March growing the fastest rate in 18 years, the NAB was attempting to increase its share.

“These are our lowest ever advertised variable rates for property investors,” NAB executive for home ownership Andy Kerr told The Australian.

NAB offers the lowest rate for that class of loan of the big four banks, but smaller lenders have lower offers.

Citi is offering 2.59 per cent, ING 2.64 per cent, HSBC and Macquarie 2.69 per cent and UBank 2.74 per cent.

Last week the NAB’s group chief economist Alan Oster noted the recent small rises in four and five-year fixed-rate home loans for owner occupiers reflected growing inflationary fears in the bond market however borrowers are unlikely to be caught out by steeper rises until 2025.

Oster said adjustments in longer term fixed-rate loans are the result of a sell-off on the bond market as investors worry there is too much stimulus in the market and central banks will need to begin tightening, the AFR noted.

The big four lender also cut its variable principle and interest loan for investors with an 80 per cent or less loan/value ratio to 2.79 per cent last week

NAB cuts variable investor interest-only rate by 30 basis points to 2.99 per cent

<html><body>
<p>As of today, NAB cut various fixed, investment, interest-only and package home loans by up to 15 basis points. </p>

<p>The lowest rate among the affected loans is 1.89% p.a, belonging to the Choice Package Tailored Fixed loan for two years, paying principal and interest.</p>

<p>Another NAB loan cut to the sub 2% mark is the Tailored Fixed loan for two years (P&amp;I), with an advertised rate of 1.99% p.a (4.20% p.a. comparison rate). </p>

<p>Other rate cuts are as follows:</p>

<ul>
<li>NAB Inv Tailored Fixed - IO in arrears 2 yrs: 10 basis point cut to 2.59% p.a (4.87% p.a. comparison rate*)</li>
	<li>NAB Inv Tailored Fixed  - P&amp;I 2yrs: 15 basis point cut to 2.39% p.a (4.75% p.a. comparison rate)</li>
	<li>NAB Choice Package Inv Tailored Fixed - IO in arrears 2 yrs: 10 basis point cut to 2.49% p.a (4.60% p.a. comparison rate*)</li>
	<li>NAB Choice Package Inv Tailored Fixed - P&amp;I 2 yrs: 15 basis point cut to 2.29% p.a (4.51% p.a. comparison rate*)</li>
</ul>
<p>These cuts by NAB follow a plethora of recent rate cuts, many of which were made to two year fixed loans.</p>

<p>In recent months, fellow big four banks Westpac and Commonwealth Bank had each cut at least one home loan rate to below 2% p.a - only ANZ is yet to do so. </p>

<p>Recently Homestar Finance cut out the competition  offering the lowest two-year fixed interest rate in history at just 1.74% with its variable rate also the lowest at just 1.79%:</p>

<h2>Residences where buyers could benefit from the cuts:</h2>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=600]</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=29935]</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=6201]</p>
</body></html>

In recent months, fellow big four banks Westpac and Commonwealth Bank had each cut at least one home loan rate to below 2% p.a with only ANZ still yet to do so

jordan_55689

NAB drops some fixed home rates to sub 2%

<html><body><p>The number of Australians who experienced some form of financial hardship rose slightly in Q4 to 32%, according to the latest NAB Insights.

Younger Australians reported noticeably higher levels of hardship, it noted.

While credit card debt is the most common form of debt held by Australians, it was found to cause the least anxiety. 

Around 1 in 3 Australians are in strong agreement that their finances control their lives.

And 1 in 4 struggle to enjoy life because of the way they are managing money, according to the latest NAB Insights. 

The NAB Financial Anxiety Index, fell in Q4 2020 and is well down on the same time last year as Australians are feeling less worried about COVID-19 and less concerned about the economy. 

However, anxiety increased among younger people aged 18-29, driven by concerns over credit card repayments, the ability to raise emergency funds and pay monthly household bills.  

Anxiety was also higher for women across all drivers, compared to men and nationally, NSW residents were the most financially anxious, replacing Victorians.

Despite financial anxiety falling, the number of Australians who experienced some form of financial hardship rose slightly in Q4 to 32% (up from a survey 30% in Q3), although still well down on a year ago, with hardship growing to 34% for women (31% in Q3) and to 30% for men (29% in Q3).  

The NAB Financial Anxiety Index is based on measured level of concern around 14 key metrics: Not being able to: meet the cost of medical bills/healthcare; make mortgage repayments, rent or other housing costs; meet minimum payments on your credit card; pay off personal loans; pay for your children’s education; for food and basic necessities; meet normal monthly household utility bills (e.g. electricity, gas, water, phone); meet other normal monthly household expenses (e.g. car, insurances, public transport, etc.); meet the cost of non-essential expenses (holidays, entertainment, eating out); raise $2,000 if an unexpected need arose within the next month; finance your retirement; provide for my family’s future; for major household items (e.g. furniture and appliances); and for home improvements &amp; maintenance. 

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Around 1 in 4 Australians struggle at managing their money, according to the latest NAB Insights into financial anxiety and the role our household finances play in our wellbeing

NSW replaces Victoria as the most financially anxious state

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<p>NAB has today announced cuts to fixed home loan rates with decreases of up to -0.55% for owner occupied and up to -0.15% for investment loans.</p>

<p>Today’s cuts position NAB’s owner occupier 3-year fixed principal and interest package rate of 1.98% (3.83% comparison rate) ahead of the other major banks’ rates for the same term.</p>

<p>Canstar analysis reveals that moving from the average variable rate of 3.28% to a 3-year fixed rate of 1.98% could see an owner occupier paying principal and interest on a $400,000 home loan slash their repayments by $273 each month or $9,828 over three years. However, moving to the lowest 3-year fixed rate in the market of 1.75% (comparison rate 2.22%) from NAB’s subsidiary bank, Ubank would cut repayments by $318 per month. </p>

<p><img alt="" height="502" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/nab_rates_2021_1.jpg" width="680"></p>

<p>Canstar Group Executive, Financial Services, Steve Mickenbecker says the move shows NAB is competing for new business by taking advantage of low cost funding.</p>

<p>“Interest rates continue on their downward path for homeowners and investors. NAB’s 11 basis point cut to its three year fixed rate for homeowners means that it has undercut the rates of competitors to deliver the lowest interest rate of the major banks for this popular fixed term.”</p>

<p>“Low cost funding has made fixed rates the playground for the big banks and while the Reserve Bank term funding facility remains available, the great deals should stay strong. Mid-year could see a small upward adjustment when the term funding is expected to be fully allocated and expire."</p>

<p>“It’s a great time to be thinking about fixing a rate when you can lock in for three or four years with an interest rate below 2%. Today’s move from NAB suggests competition at the low interest rate end of the market will be with us for a little longer,” Mr Mickenbecker concluded.</p>

<p><img alt="" height="502" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/nab_rates_2021_2.jpg" width="683"></p>

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Today’s cuts position NAB’s owner occupier 3-year fixed principal and interest package rate of 1.98% ahead of the other major banks’ rates for the same term

NAB cuts fixed rates by up to -0.55%

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<p>After a stronger than expected housing turnaround, NAB are now forecasting dwelling values to rise by an average of eight per cent nationally across 2021, with a view that 2022 will also see strong gains.</p>

<p>The revision comes after the turnaround in the housing markets, pared with low interest rates, the government's HomeBuilder grants and stamp duty concessions on newly built properties.</p>

<p>"The housing market has fared significantly better than expected over the past year, despite significant headwinds from slower population growth and a weaker labour market," the NAB report read.</p>

<p>"Lower interest rates and household income support from the Federal Government have been a key support amidst the challenges of the pandemic.</p>

<p>"While the impact of lower rates is broad-based, there are some key dynamics underlying our forecast."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=90553]</p>

<p>NAB expect the smaller capitals to continue to outpace Sydney and Melbourne, but the two biggest capital city markets have closed the gap from NAB's previous forecasts.</p>

<p>In the Q2 update in mid-2019, NAB were forecasting a -4.3 per cent average decline across the country, with Melbourne (-7.3 per cent) and Sydney (-4.7 per cent), driving the losses.</p>

<p>In Q3, following a positive response to COVID-19, NAB flipped their forecast, predicting five per cent gains nationally over 2021 and Melbourne (+3.6 per cent) and Sydney (+4.4 per cent), going full circle.</p>

<p>Now NAB expect nearly eight per cent gains average, with Sydney and Melbourne not far behind other capital city markets.</p>

<p><img alt="" height="791" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/nab_q4_forecast.jpg" width="1200"></p>

<p>They expect the best performer to be Brisbane, where there are 10.1 per cent gains forecast for 2021 and 6.3 per cent for 2022.</p>

<p>Adelaide and Hobart are predicted to see the strongest gains over 2022, up 7.4 per cent after 8.9 per cent and 9.7 per cent gains over 2021.</p>

<p>Sentiment has been on the turn for a number of months and the NAB Residential Property Index ended 2020 at a survey high +45 points. Confidence levels returned to levels last seen before COVID in late-2019 as expectations lifted sharply for house price growth across the country.</p>

<p><img alt="" height="905" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/nab_sentiment_q4.jpg" width="1200"></p>

<p>NAB economist Alan Astor says first home buyer demand remains very strong in new and established housing markets and is likely being supported by historically low interest rates and government support such as the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and HomeBuilder.</p>

<p>"The brief pullback in house prices earlier in the year may have also helped sentiment among these buyers."</p>
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The revision comes after a stronger than expected housing market, pared with the low interest rates, the government's HomeBuilder grants and stamp duty concessions on new properties.



NAB raises dwelling price forecast for 2021 and 2022

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<div>NAB releases its June 2015 Business Survey which revealed some interesting results, with unemployment now expected to peak at 6.25% and other near term data strengthening.</div>
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<div>Business conditions trending higher moving up strongly from +5 to +11, the highest level since last October and well above the long run average.</div>
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<div><a href="/images/2015/07/15/Nab1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
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<div><span>Business confidence is also back up to its post election peak, moving up nicely from +8 to +10, with the highest recording now to be found in retail (the lowest confidence, of course, is in mining):</span></div>
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<div><span>And trading conditions booming:</span></div>
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<div>The forward orders index also rose from +2 to +5.</div>
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<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Buffers</span></strong></div>
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<div>On the other hand, consumer confidence has been ticked a little lower lately, which has led in turn to some remarkable loan "arrears" data.</div>
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<div>The average homeowner is now so far ahead on mortgage repayments that loans buffers are better measured in <em>years</em> than months. </div>
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<div>It's amazing how often this theme is recurrent with clients I speak to.</div>
<br><span>The full NAB survey can be found </span><a href="https://business.nab.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/NAB-Business-survey-June-15.pdf" target="_blank">here</a><span>.</span>
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<p><span><em>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>.</em><br></span></p>
<p><em>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>.</em></p>
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

NAB business survey - an upside surprise: Pete Wargent

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<p>The NAB bank boss’s former chief of staff Rosemary Rogers has listed her Williamstown home, according to <em>Your Money</em>.</p>
<p>The television network's chief business reporter Leo Shanahan reported the listing was not on websites, but just had a sign on its front fence.</p>
<p>Rogers bought <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-williamstown-126276766" target="_blank">her $3.8 million trophy home</a> with an NAB mortgage in September 2017 with her husband.</p>
<p>It was alleged the $380,000 deposit was paid to the real estate agent by Helen Rosamond from The Human Group.</p>
<p>She has resigned from NAB after years working as executive assistant to the previous CEO, Cameron Clyne, and then chief of staff to Andrew Thorburn.</p>
<p>NSW Police searched Rogers' home in the Melbourne suburb last December.</p>
<p>The senior executive at the National Australia Bank has since been charged with 56 offences after voluntarily flying to Sydney from Melbourne for questioning over an alleged $40 million fraud surrounding the bank.</p>
<p>The elegant four-bedroom Victorian home in Williamstown was built in 1880 on 1000 square metres.</p>
<p>It boasts a tessellated tiled veranda.</p>
<p>The Williamstown home also features a barbecue kitchen, pizza oven and a climate-controlled pavilion with indoor pool.</p>
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Former NAB chief of staff Rosemary Rogers lists Williamstown trophy home

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<p>The sentiment around retail property is still the weakest in NAB's Q3 Commercial Property Survey.</p>
<p>Confidence in the retail market is still -71, followed by CBD hotels, -60, and office, -53.</p>
<p>And there doesn't look to be a big spike if Australia continues to control the COVID-19 pandemic as well as any other nation.</p>
<p>The 12 month confidence still has retail at -71, and it expects office to be -63.</p>
<p>The two year measure was also broadly unchanged at near record lows in both sectors (Retail -47; Office -40).</p>
<p>Over the next 12 months, rents are expected to fall -6.2 per cent in retail.</p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/NOV/26/Retail%20rents.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>The South Australia and Northern Territory are set to suffer the most, with around -9 per cent declines.</p>
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<p>Over-supply is expected to persist in retail in all states in the next 1-5 years, bar VIC (“neutral” in 5 years). <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/NOV/26/retail%20cap%20values%20nab.jpg" alt=""></p>
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<p><span>Overall Retail vacancy remained at a near survey high at 8.8 per cent in Q3, despite improvement in NSW (7.7 per cent vs. 9.7 per cent in Q2). </span></p>
<p><span>Overall vacancy is expected to climb to 9.3 per cent next year, before easing to 8.2 per cent in two years’ time, with all states passing through their expected peak.</span> </p>
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