Brisbane-based <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/red-co">Red &amp; Co Developments</a> has officially launched its $250million COMO apartment development in Varsity Lakes, while simultaneously commencing construction.&nbsp;

Building work is now underway at COMO following the appointment of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/5point-projects">5Point Projects</a> as contractor to deliver the boutique development which will rise on a 2857 sqm site overlooking Lake Orr at 22 Lake Street.

When completed, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/como-varsity-lakes-22-lake-street-varsity-lakes-qld-4227">COMO</a> will comprise 156 apartments across 16 levels located in the heart of Varsity Lakes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363515]

The project, which will sit alongside Bond University, will deliver a diverse array of apartment designs comprising one-, two- and three-bedroom residences that have already attracted interest from local and interstate investors as well as an array of owner occupiers looking to gain a foothold in the precinct.

Red &amp; Co, which has largely focused on the Brisbane market in recent years where it has delivered more than 500 apartments and townhouses across 26 projects, has designed COMO to combine tranquil, lakeside living with the vibrant urban convenience of the vibrant Varsity Lakes village.

“We’re thrilled to announce a start to construction of COMO in conjunction with the official launch of the project, our first for the Gold Coast,” said Red &amp; Co Director and Co-Founder David Laverty.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363509]

“COMO is superbly positioned to capture the essence of the Varsity Lakes village lifestyle and its thriving café and dining precinct, while delivering a much-needed diverse supply of premium residences for the local market.

“Pre-launch inquiries have been strong among both local and interstate investors and owner-occupiers, including downsizers and upgraders who appreciate the value proposition that COMO represents.”

Prices at COMO start from $1,000,050.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363511]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>, the COMO development incorporates an extensive range of amenities for residents including a 25-metre rooftop lap pool, sundeck, barbecue and dining areas, as well as multiple rooftop pickleball and paddleball courts, a wellness and activity centre, gym, sauna, plunge baths and landscaped gardens.

“COMO presents a rare opportunity to secure a stylish, lifestyle-focused home in one of the Gold Coast’s most sought-after neighbourhoods,” added Laverty.

“The rooftop will be the epicentre of fun for residents with an array of amenities for residents that are quite unique for a boutique project such as this, all while offering spectacular vistas across the Gold Coast as far north as Southport and south to Burleigh.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363514]

&nbsp;

Red &amp; Co has chosen the Varsity Lakes site for its proximity to top-tier schools, major shopping hubs, such as Robina Town Centre and its CBD offering, as well as key Gold Coast transport links, including Varsity Lakes Train Station.

COMO will be located just a short walk to shops, cafes and restaurants in Varsity Lakes and just a 10-minute drive to the Burleigh Heads beachfront.

With construction currently underway, Red &amp; Co anticipates COMO will be completed in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135546]

Joel Robinson

Red & Co to launch debut Gold Coast development Como Varsity Lakes as construction commences

Longstanding Gold Coast developer Raptis has acquired a prime development site on Surf Parade for its next Broadbeach apartment project.

Progressing towards completion of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-sterling-broadbeach-6-8-george-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Sterling Broadbeach</a>, 90 apartments on nearby George Avenue, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/raptis">Raptis</a>, led by second-generation family man Evan Raptis, has picked up a block on the corner of Surf Parade and First Avenue.

The site had been earmarked for a luxury apartment project with 33 full-floor apartments across a 37-storey tower. Raptis will go back to the drawing board and create a building more appropriate for the site. The development application will be lodged later this month.

Evan Raptis told Apartments.com.au the site ticks all the boxes.

"Broadbeach is a suburb we've developed several buildings over the years. Surf Parade ticks all the boxes for the type of apartment development we want to deliver."

Raptis had several pre-lodgement meetings with council to ensure they are aligned in the development.

<img alt="Raptis" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f0d58573-07a4-47a8-9f5e-fbf35fb03dc3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-03-05%20at%204.58.23%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=iczZEd_4_o4UL0PHMPJGfy_q3tv96J5i" />

Surf Parade has emerged in recent years as one of the most popular streets in Broadbeach for development.

South East Queensland developer Mosaic Property Group kicked it off with Marella by Mosaic. Bassar Group sold out Infinity on the street, while for its&nbsp;first Gold Coast development, Polycell grabbed a Surf Parade site for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-rochester-broadbeach-143-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Rochester</a>, which is nearly sold out.

Melbourne-based developer Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched its fourth Gold Coast project on the exclusive strip. The Eveleigh Broadbeach will have 100 apartments across a 31-storey building designed by Rothelowman.

GV Property Group site development specialists Antonio Mercuri and Luke Reaby, who both amalgamate sites and sell shovel-ready sites to developers up and down the Gold Coast, sold Surf Parade to Raptis.

Raptis secures prime Surf Parade site for next Broadbeach apartment development

Less than two years after breaking ground, Gardner Vaughan Group is celebrating the topping out of Bask, its second development in the exclusive coastal enclave of Bokarina on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.&nbsp;

Located only minutes from the beachfront, the two seven-storey luxury apartment towers, known individually as Mydas and Caretta, offer a selection of one-to-four-bedroom residences with views of Lake Kawana, the Glasshouse Mountains, and Bokarina Beach.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=333359]

Gardner Vaughan Group Commercial Director Sam Gardner said the milestone marks the home stretch for construction, with first residents expected to be able to move in from Spring 2026.&nbsp;

“This is a significant milestone in bringing this development to life and represents our confidence in this region’s long-term growth and appeal,” Gardner said.&nbsp;

“With 85 per cent of apartments already sold, buyers are joining an established, coastal village that offers the very best of the Sunshine Coast – seasonally patrolled surf beaches, renowned restaurants, and links to established health and retail.&nbsp;

“The final collection of three- and four- bedroom apartments range in size from 127sqm to 300sqm, each with two or three secure car parks and storage, and with construction fast approaching completion we don’t expect the last few apartments to remain on the market for long.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=333362]

Local restaurateur Luke Stringer, who co-owns and manages the award-winning Bocca Italian and Playa Mexican restaurants in Bokarina, has lived in the beachside suburb for 18 months and worked there for more than three years, and said the beachside suburb was thriving.&nbsp;

“It’s fair to say Bokarina is finally stepping into the sun and there’s a lot to love about the place,"&nbsp;Stringer said.

"It’s such a great community, where you see the same smiling faces every morning and everything’s within easy reach – it’s the perfect hub in the middle of the Sunshine Coast.

“When we first opened Bocca Italian, we were the lone restaurant, but it’s been amazing to see how the area has grown. The more venues that open, the busier it gets for everyone. When Playa Mexican opened its first Saturday night, Bocca had a record night and Playa was packed too, which blew us away how everyone is thriving.&nbsp;

“There’s a great energy around the place now, and people are really embracing Bokarina as a food and lifestyle destination.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=363368]

Stringer joined other buyers at Bask Bokarina and the Gardner Vaughan Group team to celebrate the topping out at a special event in February.&nbsp;

Located in Kawana Waters, midway between Caloundra and Maroochydore, Bokarina locals enjoy scenic walking paths around Lake Kawana, playgrounds, beachfront boardwalk and parklands, alongside all the convenience of a masterplanned beachside community.&nbsp;

“You see people jogging or swimming in the morning, then grabbing coffee at the cafes, people are really embracing the area and all this growth is bringing more people to Bokarina,” Stringer added.&nbsp;

To take advantage of the vistas, each of the 135 apartments at Bask is designed with full size windows and high ceilings that provide an abundance of natural light.&nbsp;

Prices for the remaining three-bedroom apartments start at $1,599,000 and four-bedroom apartments start at $3,149,000.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=363369]

The mixed-use development also features ground-level retail space for cafés, dining options and boutiques, including the soon-to-be-opened ‘Corner Shop’, by the team behind Noosa’s well known ‘Organika’.

Sam Gardner said Gardner Vaughan Group’s 37-year history building and developing across South East Queensland has contributed to the success of its second development in Bokarina, which follows the recently completed Zinc Apartments.&nbsp;

“We care how people live and this is reflected in the way we approach the design and delivery of every development,” he said. “Furthermore, as a builder-developer we have full control over the construction program and our 100 per cent completion rate is something people can draw confidence from.”&nbsp;

Founded by civil engineers Guy Gardner and Darryl Vaughan in 1989, the family-owned business has evolved from a consultancy firm to an award-winning builder-developer, with projects across the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=141609]

Gardner Vaughan Group tops out Bask Bokarina apartments

Prolific Melbourne developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> has launched its fourth new Gold Coast development in as many years.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a>, led by Daniel Faigen and backed by Eddie Hirsch, co-founder of United Petroleum, has unveiled The Eveleigh, on a prime 1,100 sqm site at 7-9 Surf Parade in the heart of Broadbeach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a> will deliver 100 apartments across 31 levels, making it the company’s largest Gold Coast project to date. It builds on the success of its three earlier developments, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/hemingway-1267-1273-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach">The Hemingway in Palm Beach</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/emerson-kirra-100-musgrave-street-coolangatta">The Emerson at Kirra</a>, both completed, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yves-mermaid-beach-7-9-mermaid-avenue-mermaid-beach">Yves Mermaid Beach</a>, which is nearing completion.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

The announcement of The Eveleigh affirms the company’s sustained confidence in the Gold Coast market which continues to remain undersupplied. It also increases the value of Hirsch &amp; Fa​igen’s Gold Coast development portfolio to more than $700 million since the company first entered the market in 2021 with Hemingway.

The company has enlisted its preferred architecture firm Rothelowman to design The Eveleigh, which will offer a thoughtfully curated lifestyle, including a substantial wellness precinct, communal recreation areas, children’s play spaces, work-from-home facilities, and shared lounge and dining areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

Designed for the prime market demographic of downsizers and interstate lifestyle investors in mind, The Eveleigh has been crafted to offer an increasingly rare blend of affordable luxury in a tightly held market. Uniquely positioned in the heart of the Gold Coast’s most sought-after lifestyle suburb of Broadbeach, the project will also boast uninterrupted beach and hinterland views.

The Surf Parade site is just a short walk to the bustling Broadbeach dining and retail precinct, Pacific Fair, The Star Gold Coast and convention centre, and an easy stroll to Kurrawa Beach and the recreational amenity of Pratten Park on the Broadbeach foreshore.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360975]

“We’re excited to be proceeding with our fourth project on the Gold Coast in what is certain to become the new luxury precinct in Broadbeach,” says Anthony Bueti, the CFO of Hirsch &amp;a​mp; Faigen and a shareholder of the group.

“With the likes of Mosa​ic and Abedian &amp;a​mp; Co also launching quality projects in the area, the transformation will cement Broadbeach as the premier lifestyle and amenity suburb on the Gold Coast.

"After four years in the Gold Coast market, and with three successful projects completed, The Eveleigh is the product of everything we have learned to love about the Gold Coast and it will be an incredible addition to our growing portfolio in one of the most vibrant property markets in the country. We continue to remain very confident in the high-end Gold Coast property market.”

Urban Activation Director Matt George is handling sales for The Eveleigh, having sold out The Emerson, The Hemingway, and Yves, all before construction was completed.

Melbourne builder MAXCON has already commenced construction on The Eveleigh. They are forecasting a mid-2028 completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Hirsch & Faigen unveils The Eveleigh in Broadbeach

Two years after securing development approval for the final stage of its award-winning Thornton Precinct on the doorstep of Penrith Station, Urban Property Group is set to launch <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/mayfair-on-penrith-172-lord-sheffield-circuit-penrith-nsw-2750">Mayfair on Penrith</a>, around 400 apartments designed to reflect two of Sydney’s most iconic structures.

The builder-developer has continued refining the design plans for the two-building development on a significant 8,280 sqm site on Sheffield Circuit, recognising the importance of the prime parcel as one of the closest developable sites to the station.

UPG enlisted architecture firm SJB to design the project. The team said they drew inspiration from both the General Post Office in Martin Place and East Circular Quay to help shape the design. The two-level colonnade, in particular, reflects the famous GPO building, which dates back to the 1860s.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136726 project_image_fid=362014]

There will be one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments on offer, with interiors by Cox Architecture. Residences will sit above a retail podium featuring hospitality and lifestyle operators such as One Playground and Volcano’s Steakhouse, contributing to an activated ground plane within the broader Thornton precinct.

A communal rooftop with a pool and views towards the Blue Mountains will provide shared open space for residents. The development is positioned between Ron Mulock Oval and Westfield Penrith, with the Nepean River and Great River Walk also nearby, placing daily amenity and green space within walking distance.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136726 project_image_fid=362015]

Mayfair is being delivered by Urban Property Group, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly 40 years’ experience across Sydney. The project will be the first in Penrith to be offered with Resilience Insurance’s 10-year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI) policy, which Urban Property Group has adopted across a number of its recent developments. The developer also has a 4.5-star iCIRT rating, one of the best ratings in market providing further confidence to buyers.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said providing additional assurance to off-the-plan buyers has become increasingly important.

“Anything we can do to give confidence in our product is a plus,” Elias told Apartments.com.au.

“Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. They’re making their single large investment, which is their home, and providing confidence is something that we feel is paramount.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136726 project_image_fid=362020]

The LDI policy provides a 10-year warranty covering structural defects, with independent inspections carried out during construction and protection for owners if defects arise post-completion.

Mayfair represents Urban Property Group’s sixth and final development within Thornton, consolidating the masterplanned precinct immediately east of the station.

The developer, which builds its own projects, has already commenced construction. SRM Residential is handling the sales campaign.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=136726]

Urban Property Group to close the curtain on award-winning Thornton precinct with Mayfair on Penrith release

Overseas Investment

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SPONSORED POST
While Australia’s property market remains a safe haven, limited stock is a significant obstacle for overseas investors, Napier &amp; Blakeley’s managing director Alastair Walker.
“There is still a substantial amount of investment funds under management looking for a home – and the volatility in other markets serves as a reminder that Australia remains a safe haven,” says Walker, who oversees the independent property, development and sustainability consultancy.
The latest investment intentions survey from the Asian Association for Investors in Non-listed Real Estate Vehicles (ANREV) reports around AU$82.4 billion is expected to be poured into property in 2016, with the top three investment destinations in the regions of Tokyo, Sydney and Melbourne.
“Opportunity is now the great conundrum facing investors,” Walker recently blogged.
“Australia presents a transparent market with a good yield to debt ratio, but a shortage of stock is limiting investment opportunity.
“The local property investment groups who have righted their ships in the last seven years after the Global Financial Crisis are now heavily challenged by offshore investors, some with very deep pockets.”
“Our chairman, Peter Mitchell, is based in Singapore, and travels around Asia talking to investors and we get reports back every day, especially from Chinese investors wanting to get into the Australian market. These aren’t just big global funds, but a range of investors who see Australia, and particularly Sydney, as an attractive destination,” he adds.
While Sydney and Melbourne remain the “first choice” for offshore investors, Walker says they are increasingly looking further afield – and are looking beyond traditional shiny new offices.
“Expect retrofitting of existing assets – something that has been slow off the mark – to become a bigger thing in 2016,” Walker says.
Established in 1985, Napier &amp; Blakeley is an independent and privately-owned, international, integrated, property services consulting organisation. 
Contact one of our specialists for <a href="https://nbtax.com.au/" target="_blank">further information</a>.
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po-LsXgBTHBmX

Opportunity is the great conundrum for commercial property investors

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A consortium led by a Macau casino boss Loi Keong Kuong-led has emerged as paying $56.5 million for Gold Coast site recently offloaded by the Hong Kong-based Forise.
Forise had paid $65 million for the 3,494 sqm site in 2015 with plans to build the Southern Hemisphere’s tallest tower.
It then spent a reported $40 million plus on construction of a six-level basement.
Roland Evans, at Canford Estate Agents, said the new owners intended to develop the planned 89-floor tower but changing the interior design and layout to incorporate a luxury-brand hotel.
The consortium members are operating through trustee company 3 Trickett Street.
The ownership of company 3 Trickett Street is primarily held by the Loi family and, according to company records, includes Chinese billionaire Riyu Li, one-time investor in the three-tower Jewel beachfront project south of Surfers Paradise, with 10 per cent.
Loi, who owns Macau’s Rio casino, also paid $90 million in early 2018 for the Soul Boardwalk retail area north of the Spirit site.
The local paper The Gold Coast Bulletin reported Forise’s disastrous Gold Coast foray saw it locked out of a $3 million sales display suite close to the Spirit site.
Yun Wei “Fenix” Dong, was the CEO of Forise Investment Australia, the company behind the abandoned Spirit development.
Creditors were taking legal action over unpaid debts, including WorkCover Queensland, which sought an application to wind up the company to recoup $19,000.
Parties connected to the development have now been paid and the few buyers have had their deposits refunded.
Forise had engaged The Agency projects team to exclusively sell and market Spirit, the $1.3 billion Gold Coast residential tower.
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The collapse of Forise impacted on The Agency projects team, since it was the biggest deal signed by the division headed by Steven Chen.
Spirit had 479 DBI designed apartments to sell, including an entire floor penthouse, boasting over 1000 sqms that Chen expected to sell for in excess of $30 million.
As its building base works commenced in the first quarter of 2017 The Agency was expecting commission to flow following its 2020 completion.
During the company’s embarassing exit, chairman Xin Wang sold his $3.6 million 68th floor sub-penthouse in Soul, with Paul Ledgerwood at The Agency securing the sale, in conjunction with Laura Langford at Canford Property Group.
It had been bought for $3.5 million in 2013 from Juniper, the developer.
</div>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Macau casino boss boosts Gold Coast market with Forise acquisition

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Off-shore investors are making a lot of investments across Melbourne’s eastern corridor property market, with more than $1 billion in acquisitions over the last five years, according to CBRE.
Director Investments, Mark Wizel, said the off-shore buyers accounted for marginally under 50 per cent of buyers (116) of the 234 properties, which sold through CBRE alone, for a total of $2.43 billion over five years from 2014.
Mr Wizel said the bulk of the acquisitions had been sub $30 million however the list included two major acquisitions - the Burwood One Shopping Centre ($181.5m) (pictured in title) which sold to a Hong Kong investor, and 353-383 Burwood Hwy, Forest Hill which was purchased at an undisclosed price by a Chinese buyer.
According to a Fairfax media study from August 2017 based on data from the 2016 Census, the eastern suburbs, and particularly Glen Waverley and Box Hill, are dominated by Chinese migrants as the second most populous group after Australian born residents. In Box Hill, near the centre of the eastern corridor, almost 30 per cent of the population was born in China.
Some of the most recent sales to off-shore investors include:
<ul>
<li>12 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East - $25.5m;</li>
<li>Maroondah Shopping Centre - $18.8m;</li>
<li>941-947 Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill - $13.3 million;</li>
<li>60-62 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood - $28.3m; and,</li>
<li>42-50 Burwood Hwy, Burwood East - $18.17m.</li>
</ul>
Mr Wizel said, "I expect an equally strong response from the international investment community to several investment opportunities currently on the market including iProsperity Group’s Century City Walk Shopping Centre and the adjoining 200-room Novotel Melbourne hotel on Springvale Road, Glen Waverley."
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Off-shore investors spent over $1 billion in Melbourne’s east

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Skilled professionals are increasingly likely to have an equally skilled partner at home. This makes it harder for companies to fill overseas positions when the move affects two professional careers.
Multinational corporations are starting to recognise and try to understand the complexities of managing talent globally. But we wondered whether they are considering the “right” scope of complexities. As an example of these complexities, and contrary to popular belief, the expatriate spouse – not the expatriate – remains the number one influence on the success of overseas postings.
Three major, interrelated elements create this largely unrecognised complexity.
The family context
An overseas assignment can be an enriching experience for the whole family, but making it a success is a different story. Career paths are no longer choices for a single breadwinner, but compromises between couples or within families.
This means there are a number of stakeholders to consider when an overseas assignment is on offer. The dynamics between the various immediate family members play a major role in whether the assignment is a success.
Research often reports organisational support for spouses as either inadequate or misaligned. One reason for this is that organisations do not have a good enough understanding of expatriate spouse experiences and attitudes to relocation.
Most recently, research has identified that there are four different types of spouses – some more resilient and ready for an international relocation than others. This is to say that spouses and their personal and professional career endeavours may differ greatly. And the lack of knowledge about this makes it difficult to manage.
The reason for any inadequacy or misalignment of organisational support might well stem, then, from not fully understanding the journey of the other family members who are likely invested but involuntarily affected by the way the assignment is managed.
This type of reasoning similarly applies to families with a female breadwinner, families with or without children, those who identify as LGBTIQ, single parents and families going through a divorce, among other scenarios. The chart below illustrates the range of family contexts.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/232212/original/file-20180816-2915-sgy80t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Corporate support for people on overseas assignments needs to consider the diversity of possible family contexts. Author provided
Philosophically, it is about managing the family as a dynamic and complex network of actors. That is in addition to the complexities inherent in any particular individual employee or family member.
The assignment context
We are seeing an increase in the types of international assignments, including short-term, long-term, rotational, flex-assignments and so forth. You can add to this the propatriate (a professional expatriate committed to their parent company), the glopatriate (a globetrotting expatriate committed to a global career beyond their parent company), the inpatriate (a relocation from the subsidiary into HQ) and the self-initiated expatriate (a non-organisational form of expatriation) among others. We now have many assignment types – some of which have not existed or been recognised as such, say, ten years ago.
The assignment type matters to the multinational corporation. It is the context for the length, purpose and expatriate and family allowances of the assignment.
The location context
Globalisation continues to create opportunities across borders. These in turn are linked to international assignment opportunities.
Today, countries like China, Brazil, India, Argentina, Mexico, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Angola, Nigeria and Iraq present some of the greatest challenges for international assignees, their partners and children.
But what do we really know about these countries? And to what extent are dual-career families ready (or supported) to relocate to these places and be successful – as a family or as individuals?
Another difficult challenge to manage is the fact that some assignment locations are considered more dangerous than others. Some research suggests this keeps potential expatriates and their families from considering the assignment in the first place.
Managing challenges of diversity is key
In short, the increased diversity of assignments – in all ways – presents policy and compliance challenges for talent management departments. Creating the right tools to enable multinational corporations to understand and respond swiftly to these challenges is key to competing and winning with a global talent strategy.
Global mobility specialists must fully understand past, present and potential trends to then acquire the agility needed to manage talent in today’s world – across diverse demographic, assignment and family contexts.

In the end however, if the expatriate and their family are not convinced this will be a good experience, no amount of deliberation or support will make it a success. The real key to success is to ensure the expatriates and their families understand their “window of opportunity” for such a life-changing move.
Miriam Moeller, Senior Lecturer, International Business, The University of Queensland
Jemaine Tsoi, PhD Researcher, UQ Business School, The University of Queensland
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-secrets-to-managing-overseas-postings-for-modern-families-start-with-the-spouse-100893" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Starting with the spouse is the secret to managing overseas postings for modern families

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Sydney and Melbourne have traditionally been a favourite of offshore property investors, but now Canberra seems to be catching up, according to real estate firm Colliers International.
The firm expects several new entrants in Canberra over the next 12 months, according to a media release.
Matthew Winter, an investment services executive at Colliers, met investors in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou and learnt about their interest in Canberra. 
“Investors are keen to learn more about Australia’s capital city, Canberra,” he said. 
“Over the past six months there’s been an increase in enquiry to secure Canberra assets by foreign investors, however, many large investors are sitting back and watching the property market before making their move.”
Canberra Airport will offer direct flights to Singapore later this year, making it easier for investors to visit the city and inspect potential assets, he said.
“Asia-based investors understand the relative value of Canberra assets with long-term government tenants, which was seen with the Louisa Lawson building sale late last year for $225 million to South Korean property investor, FG Asset Management. The building was sold with a cap rate of six per cent which is a much better return compared to what many Asian investors are getting in their own countries.”
He cited the example of Japan which currently has negative interest rates and a bond yield of 0.2 per cent, while investing in Australian property can easily earn six to seven per cent returns in the long term.
One of the obstacles of securing foreign investment in Canberra is the scale of property, which is often significantly smaller than what investors are after, according to Colliers International. Many wealthy private investors and syndicates in Asia are looking to spend in excess of $100 to $150 million to build large-scale precincts or acquire large core-plus assets. 
Asian city skylines are filled with apartment towers as developers try to achieve the maximum yield of units on the sites. Often these developments are built quickly and the quality of the developments vary. 
In Shenzhen, single developers are known for constructing 15 to 20 towers on one site, more than 40-storeys high per tower and the design of the towers are identical.
In Singapore, the landscape looks significantly different to many other Asian cities. Singapore has a mix of heritage and new buildings, however, they have a lot of planning controls in place to encourage the development of green buildings and green living. Many developments are of high quality and designed to be environmentally friendly.
Matthew said that more than 100 investors gathered in Singapore to hear from Colliers about the Australian property market on his recent trip.
“Unlike in Hong Kong and China where majority of investors are wealthy privates and developers, Singapore has more Institutions and REITs looking to invest in Australia.
Colliers has showcased 97 properties across nine Asian cities in the past three years, meeting with Asia-based investment groups which has resulted in more than $1 billion in property transactions.
 
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