A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

Joel Robinson

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5427]

The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Skymark takes out 10-year Resilience Insurance LDI at Solis Cronulla

Price Decline

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Apartment prices continue to take a hit in Melbourne's harbour development Docklands.
Concerns have been long voiced by experts and regulators that there is an oversupply of apartments in Melbourne.
It is the Docklands that faces sizeable negative growth in units.
The change in median price in Docklands over the past five years is down 5.9%, according to CoreLogic data.   The median sale price in Docklands is $630,000.
1. <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/unit-503-750-bourke-st-docklands-vic-3008?pid=p4ep-pdp%7Csold-pdp:property-history-cta#history" target="_blank">503/750 Bourke Street</a> is a two-bedroom, two bathroom unit that was built in 2005.
The apartment sold for $445,000 in September 2017, well below its previous selling price of $500,000 in October 2007.
The unit was on the market for 290 days and its last listed price was $498,888 - $548,888, according to CoreLogic RP Data. 2. <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-vic-docklands-125140558" target="_blank">406/815 Bourke Street</a> (pictured above) is a two-bedroom, two bathroom unit that sold for $570,000 in October 2017.
The apartment was on the market for 55 days, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
It was initially listed for $600,000 but its last listed price was $560,000-$580,000.
The unit was built in 2012. Its initial selling price was $660,000 in 2010.
3. <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-vic-docklands-125366314" target="_blank">409/815 Bourke Street</a> is a one-bedroom unit that sold for $335,000 on July 2017. It spent 67 days on the market.
It was previously sold for $395,000 in June 2012.
4. <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-docklands-126431954" target="_blank">516/838 Bourke Street</a> is a one-bedroom apartment that fetched $355,000 in its most recent sale in October 2017.
It was on the market for 35 days.
Built in 2009, its previous sold price was $367,000 in 2008, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
<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/2017/11/24/BourkeSt2.jpg" alt="">
5. <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-docklands-125907506" target="_blank">516/838 Bourke Street</a> is a two-bedroom unit that sold for $468,000 in October 2017, CoreLogic RP Data shows.
It was on the market for 102 days.
The last sale was in 2008 for $492,000, CoreLogic RP Data shows.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Price downturn continues at Docklands - five of the latest sellers underwater

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BrickX, the fractional property investing platform, is seeing discounted prices available on the ‘brick’ valuations on many of its properties.
Discounts on official valuations were available on eight of its property offerings.
BrickX divides each property it acquires into 10,000 units it calls ‘Bricks’ and offers them to investors. 
The largest discount per brick was for a two-bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.brickx.com/properties/DBB01/summary" target="_blank">7/22 Ocean Avenue</a> (picture above) in Sydney’s Double Bay. The discount is 2.5 percent for a brick priced at $96. 
The discount is measured as a percentage of the official ‘brick’ valuation price. In this case, the brick valuation price is $98.46. 
Another two-bedroom unit, this one at Manly’s 4/8 James Street, has its bricks discounted by 2.3 percent. The lowest available brick is priced at $85 now.
In Bondi Beach, the discount on a brick for a two-bedroom unit at 2/5 Ramsgate Avenue is 2.19 percent. The lowest brick is priced at $98.
In Sydney’s Mosman, there is a discount of 1.69 percent on each brick of $141 for a two-bedroom unit at 18/5 Parriwi Road.
In Sydney’s inner suburb of Surry Hills, a two-bedroom unit has its bricks being offered at a discount of 1.05 percent at $94 per brick.
Another Melbourne property, at three-bedroom house at 10 Shamrock Street in Brunswick West, has its bricks discounted by 1.01 percent at $98 per brick.
A house in Sydney's Annandale at 109 Albion Street has its lowest priced 'brick' being offered at a discount of 0.74 percent to the 'brick' valuation. The lowest brick price is $112. 
Another house, this one a three-bedder at 24 Clayton Street in Sydney’s waterside suburb of Balmain, has bricks being offered at a 0.71 percent discount at $139 each.
The same discount of 0.71 percent is being offered for a two-bedroom unit at 4/6 Miller Street in  Melbourne’s Prahran. The price for the lowest available brick is $123.
Not all properties held by BrickX have discounts though.
Property Observer counted five properties where bricks are being sold at a premium. One at Enmore is trading at an eight percent premium to valuation. There also are properties in Adelaide’s St Peters, Port Melbourne, and in Sydney’s Potts Point and Darlinghurst at a premium.
At last count, BrickX had 8,256 active members while its properties had a total value of $16.87 million.
During the release of its six-monthly valuations in July, BrickX said the Annandale house rose in value by 7.4 per cent in the last six months, the most for any of its acquisitions. 
<div>Investors are in control of selecting the price at which they wish to sell their Bricks, its CEO Anthony Millet recently advised.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"Whilst property is generally a medium to long term investment, the opportunity to put your Bricks up for sale does give a lot of flexibility to the investor in exiting should their investment strategy or personal circumstances change. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>"At any point in time we have a number of sellers who are selling their bricks (as is to be expected with any investment, shares, or pulling money out of a savings account etc) which also provides liquidity opportunities for buyers to enter existing investments."</div>
<div> </div>
<div>He said the majority of these transactions occurs within a +/- 2% premium or discount to the last valuation (last conducted in July 2017).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"To date the median time it has taken someone to sell their position has been circa 14 hours - which is pretty amazing when you consider how long it takes to sell an entire property.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"In addition, customers are only paying a 1.75% transaction fee when they sell, which considered against the cost of selling a property can often be 4%+ (when you take into account agent fees, lack of rent/voids periods, remedial work) this compares very favourably to the traditional way of dealing in property.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"New and existing investors also see Brickx listed for sale at a discount to the last valuation as a good opportunity to enter the property market or add to their position and build their portfolios.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"As at now, Bricks listed for sale at discounts relate to 0.6% of the total value of the BRICKX portfolio, so are relatively thin in volume," he said last week.</div>
 
 
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Discounted BrickXs on offer - but in thin volume 

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Property, just like any other investment class, follows cycles where prices can rise, fall or plateau.
Sydney got a rare taste of a dip in September, according to CoreLogic, when it joined Darwin with values falling.
It was no great surprise, and not by much though.
After getting 80 percent percent higher over an extended five year upswing, Sydney dwelling values slipped 0.1 percent lower over the month to a $909,000 median, it’s first month-on-month decline in 17 months.
Ofcourse the headline figure is accompanied by increasing resale activity at lower prices.
The most recent CoreLogic pain gain report noted 2.6 percent of Sydney houses and 1.8 percent of units had been resold recently at a price lower than their purchase price.
This is a very low volume of resales making a loss as the national figure sits for houses at 8.1 percent and 13.3 percent for units.
Many Sydney council areas recorded no loss over the March quarter including Waverley, Ashfield, Burwood, Hunters Hill and Kogarah.
The council areas with the highest proportion of resales at a loss were Wollondilly (5.9%), Hurstville (5.7%) and Hawkesbury (4.8%).
The ups and downs in pricing can be typically explained through the classic economic theory of supply and demand and exuberance.
The rising volume of new stock on the Sydney market - both auction and private treaty - is likely to place further pressure on the market during spring, as volumes are sitting some 15 per cent higher than last October.
The Sydney property market is more likely to experience an extended plateau rather than any doomsday crash scenario due to the relatively low unemployment rate and heightened population growth.
CoreLogic's head of research Tim Lawless says that prices in Sydney will probably trend lower into 2018, although continued strong demand for housing, along with the likelihood that interest rates will remain low, will help to support a floor under housing prices.
I'd suggest much depends on Sydney investors who appear to have momentarily called time out in part because they are now paying higher interest rates after restrictive lending practices by banks.
The investors' response is an understandable reaction to policy initiatives by APRA, the financial regulator, for market cooling.
Residential investor activity has declined sharply in NSW as the latest data from the ABS reported that approved residential investor loans for buyers totalled $5.7 billion over July which was down 22 percent on June.
Sales data indicates that NSW investors were slightly more likely to incur a loss on the resale of their property than owner occupiers. Over the March quarter, 1.9 percent of investors resold their home at a loss compared to 1.8 percent of owner occupiers. 
Buying when everyone wants to sell increases the chance of quickly profiting from property, not that we've seen much flipping intent among buyers as the typical hold period has been six years. 
The time held is important, especially to sit out selling during downturns.
Sensing and tracking the price cycles can pay dividends for savvy home buyers and investors, as there are times when property purchasing can result in a wonderful early gain.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Sydney dips in current property cycle

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Dwellings with price tags above $1 million where there are no Chinese buyers in the market are the most vulnerable to price falls, in the spring selling season, according to the business columnist Robert Gottliebsen.
"We are watching a concentrated squeeze on the housing market the like of which we have not seen for a long time," he advised his readers in The Australian.
Large areas of the dwelling market are looking soft, particularly in Sydney and Brisbane, partly as a result of tighter bank credit in recent months on investors, he suggested.
"The bank finance squeeze is set to get tighter as several banks are becoming much more serious in implementing an APRA-imposed lending curb on residential homebuyers."
Gottliebsen says an important issue is that many buyers who entered into large loans in the recent past believed their income would rise.
"Not only has it not increased but there is now greater job insecurity and this is lifting stress levels.
"Falls in the price of dwellings will lift those stress levels," he said.
"The great risk is that as prices start falling there will be a bank panic, which tightens lending further.
"I don’t think this will happen this time because hopefully the banks understand that their liberal lending policies are a key reason the prices of dwellings have risen so far.
"Obviously there have been other forces, including supply restrictions, but if the banks cause severe price falls it will lift the levels of bank problem loans and reduce activity in the building industry.
"They are trapped," he concluded.
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Spring's most vulnerable property markets: Robert Gottliebsen

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A New York inspired penthouse at The Residences in the heart of the Brisbane CBD has seen a price cut of $1.6 million.
The apartment was contracted at $4.5 million in 2014, however the deal didn't complete.
Its most recent marketing now has it pegged at $2.9 million.
It will still be a profit for the New South Wales based owners, who paid $2.1 million in 2009. They have however spent hundreds of thousands on renovations since the purchase.
<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/2017/09/28/Brisbane2.jpg" alt="" style="font-size: 12.16px;">
Their 2009 buy still stands as the building's most expensive.
Now relocating to Europe, the vendors have tasked Place New Farm agent Ben White with selling the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-qld-brisbane+city-126433534" target="_blank">Adelaide Street apartment</a>.
Spanning 310 sqm, the apartment has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a library.
The Residence block was previously a former Queensland Government building built in the 1940s.
It homed the State's land titles office before being turned into a residential development in the 1990s.  
 
 
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Brisbane's most extreme price cut

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Declining housing prices could cause difficulties for some apartment developers, the RBA has warned.
"Recent state and federal budget measures intended to restrain foreign investment have not yet had time to have had their full effects, which are uncertain; however, the effects are likely to be largest in housing markets where foreign buyers have been most active, particularly inner-city apartments," the bank noted. 
Today's <cite>Statement on Monetary Policy</cite> sets out the Bank's assessment of current economic conditions, both domestic and international, along with the outlook for Australian inflation and output growth.
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The bank noted household spending has grown by more in New South Wales and Victoria, where housing prices continue to grow briskly despite some tentative signs of slowing growth recently. 
"Large unexpected rises (or falls) in housing prices could lead to changes in the outlook for consumption growth, at least in the short term.
"Elevated debt levels are likely to amplify any risks to consumption; if indebted households become less confident about their future prospects, they could choose to pay down debt faster, in which case consumption growth could be lower than forecast."
The bank advised there are a number of uncertainties that could affect housing prices, particularly in the eastern states. 
"The risk of more weakness in apartment prices in some locations where a large amount of supply is coming online remains. 
"This could mean that buildings approved but not commenced do not go ahead, in which case dwelling investment and related household spending would be weaker than expected."
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RBA warns of declining housing prices impact on apartment developers

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Karratha was one of the first mining towns to slump when the mining boom began to fizzle back in 2012-2013. 
Property prices in the West Australian port town have been in decline ever since and new data from SQM Research indicates that there is no sign of a resurgence. 
SQM's Louis Christopher took a look at the latest charts and saw little sign of short-term hope for the mining town's property investors. 
"The update shocked me," Christopher said in the firm's latest update.
"House prices are still plunging there, with no sign of a bottom, as this SQM Research chart reveals."
<a href="/images/2016/09/28/CHART1.jpg" target="_blank">Click here to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/09/28/CHART1.jpg" alt="" width="515" height="274">
It's not just property prices that have taken a hit form the end of the mining boom. Rental prices in the region have also fallen in Karratha. 
"The <a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=42e441357f&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank">rental market</a> is no better," Christopher said.
<a href="/images/2016/09/28/CHART2.jpg" target="_blank">Click here to enlarge</a>
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Christopher said that other mining towns in the region are faring little better, analysing conditions in Port Hedland. 
"It is no better in Port Hedland either, where <a href="https://www.sqmresearch.com.au/asking-property-prices.php?postcode=6721&amp;t=1" target="_blank">asking prices</a> for properties have tanked," he said.
<a href="/images/2016/09/28/CHART3.jpg" target="_blank">Click here to enlarge</a>
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Karratha and Port Hedland property prices still tanking: SQM

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Forecaster BIS Shrapnel this week used apartment oversupply as part of the justification for predicting (minor) price decline in some of our major cities over the next three years.
While I certainly share their concerns about over-building of high-rise apartments, I don’t agree that this means prices generally will fall in those cities.
Does a unit over-supply in inner-city Adelaide or Brisbane prevent house prices from growing in housing markets in the middle-ring and outer suburbs?
On the Gold Coast, past oversupply has resulted in key locations like Surfers Paradise having pricing levels lower than 10 years ago. But it hasn’t prevented inland housing suburbs from delivering price growth averaging 4-5 percent per year over the past decade.
So I expect price growth in housing markets in Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart – as well as the Gold Coast – regardless of the over-supply issue in the high-rise areas of those cities. I’m not expecting much from Sydney or Melbourne in the next few years, because those markets have passed their peaks and sales levels have fallen away dramatically, leading to price stagnation or minor decline.
The unit oversupply is a separate issue – and a serious one. It’s significant that lenders are including high-rise areas on blacklists, that developers are deferring planned projects and that vacancy rates are rising in key areas.
This week I updated vacancy rates for Brisbane inner-city suburbs for a seminar presentation. There has been a market blow-out in vacancies in all six suburbs I reference in that presentation. Most now have vacancies in the 5-6 percent range, according to SQM Research figures. 
In the space of three months, the vacancy rate for the Brisbane CBD has increased from 4.4 percent to 5 percent, while Woolloongabba is up from 4.8 to 5.5 percent and New Farm has increased from 5.3 to 6.1 percent.
These statistics will worsen as projects now under construction are completed and their apartments join the rental pool – because very few of the sales are being made to owner-occupiers.
Apartment markets with current or looming surpluses of stock make up half of the 10 markets highlighted in my No Go Zones report (the only half being regional areas impacted by the resources sector).
This really is one of the core issues facing the property industry. While the developer lobby keeps running the party line about dwelling shortages – despite two years of record building approvals pumped up by apartment projects – the big issue is the opposite problem of surplus.
It’s inevitable that, in some markets, vacancies will rise, rents will fall and values will be impacted.
As BIS Shrapnel senior director Angie Zigomanis says: “Nearly all capital cities are building apartments at record rates on the back of the recent strength in investor demand. As these projects are progressively completed, it is likely that there will not be enough tenants in a number of cities to support rents and consequently values upon completion.”
I’m amazed at how many people are still buying apartments in Surfers Paradise, inner-city Melbourne and inner-city Brisbane, and by the number of new projects seeking approval in oversupplied markets like Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Across the key high-rise suburbs of the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Brisbane, 8,242 people have bought apartments in the past 12 months, including 1,588 in Surfers Paradise and 1,501 in the Melbourne CBD. 
Do these people not read? Don’t they have access to the Internet? The warnings from analysts, commentators, lenders and the Reserve Bank over the past 12-18 months add up to a deafening roar.
If you’re ignoring all that and still buying high-rise units off-the-plan in these markets - or if you’re oblivious to it because you haven’t done even the most basic research - you deserve to lose money.
 
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
<a href="mailto:hotspotting@gmail.com">hotspotting@gmail.com</a>
twitter.com/hotspotting
 
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Apartment over-building doesn't mean prices will fall: Terry Ryder

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The nation's cheapest weekend result was in Adelaide where a two bedroom unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-sa-st+kilda-122850590" target="_blank">2/12 Fooks Terrace</a>, St Kilda Beach, SA fetched $183,000 through Peter Migali at The Professionals Salisbury.
It fetched less than its 2010 sale price of $220,000 and its 2007 sale of $195,000. There were three bidders for the 2003 built apartment which is upstairs in the block of six next to the St Kilda Beach Hotel.
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St Kilda Beach price heads backwards in weekend cheapest auction result

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A new report by market analyst BIS Shrapnel is predicting that property prices in most national capitals will fall over the next few years.
Not by much in Sydney and Melbourne, but Perth and Darwin aren't looking pretty.
Brisbane, Canberra and Hobart will escape the fall.
A lower population growth, increased apartment supply, a weakening economy and lack of affordability will offset the impact of lower interest rates and investor demand.
Hardest hit will be apartments, particularly in large apartment complexes, due to a record 220,000 new dwellings to be started this financial year.  
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"As these dwellings reach completion, all states with the exception of NSW will have moved into over-supply, or be experiencing an increasing over-supply," said the report's author Angie Zigomanis.
"Rising supply and weakening investor demand will play an increasing role in the price outlook of Australia's capital cities over the next three years,"  said Angie Zigomanis, the chief of BIS Shrapnel's residential research unit.
Sydney is expected to be 1 per cent lower in 2019, or a real decline of 9 per cent over the period after taking account of inflation.
Melbourne is expected to be 1 per cent lower in three years, or a real decline of 8 per cent.
House and apartment prices are expected to fall in real terms in five of the nation's eight capitals with Perth forecast to slump by 23 per cent.
Darwin will continue struggling to recover from the collapse following the end of the mining boom.
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Zigomanis, a senior manager, said 2016-17 will remain "relatively stable" but underlying pressures of oversupply, falling overseas demand and affordability will begin to erode gains.
He predicts a cyclical downturn that will take until the end of the decade to recover, assuming broader economic recovery to revive the property sector.
BIS Shrapnel senior manager and study author, Mr Angie Zigomanis, said the rate of price growth in Sydney and Melbourne has slowed in 2015/16.
"Investor demand has been a key driver of the upturn in both markets and moves by the regulator to slow growth in bank lending to investors have seen investors retreat.
"At the same time, dwelling completions are rising to record levels and the increasing supply/demand imbalance will increasingly dampen price growth.
"In particular, the boom in apartment construction over the last couple of years is creating a disconnect in the supply balance between detached houses and units, with a resulting difference in their price outlook.
“In fact, nearly all capital cities are building apartments at record rates on the back of the recent strength in investor demand,” said Zigomanis.
“As these projects are progressively completed, it is likely that there will not be enough tenants in a number of cities to support rents and consequently values upon completion."
The report noted national population growth in 2014/15 was at its second lowest level since 2005/06, with net overseas migration falling from 229,400 persons in 2011/12, to 176,500 persons in 2014/15 – although there have been wide variations across the states. 
"Meanwhile, the change in gears from resource investment to domestic demand driving the economy continues to be slow and economic growth nationally is muted.
"Without a substantial acceleration in economic conditions, employment and income growth will also be slow. Even in the stronger growing states of New South Wales and Victoria, there is further limited upside to prices."
The best prospects for median house price growth over the next three years are forecast to be in the Brisbane and Hobart markets, followed by Canberra. 
Interest rates are expected to remain low enough to provide some support to prices as investors should be able to meet their mortgage repayments despite potentially having to discount rents to attract tenants.
"Consequently, owners will be able to hold their properties through this weaker period with few forced sales likely to be taking place to create significant downward pressure on prices," the report noted.
 
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