The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 41-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 41-storey tower, which has 229 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Price Growth

<html><body>
The most affordable Sydney property reported sold was a one-bedroom unit at 5/6 Warialda Street, Kogarah.
It fetched $400,000 through McGrath Brighton-Le-Sands. The price guidance was <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-kogarah-123180894" target="_blank">$380,000 to $400,000</a> for the 46 sqm unit.
It last sold at $250,000 in May 2012, reflecting 11 percent annual price growth over the past four years.
The median unit price in Kogarah, according to CoreLogic is around $620,000.
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

With 11% annual price growth, Kogarah one bedroom apartment Sydney's cheapest

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Houses, units and land across regional Western Australia had positive growth for the three months to March 2016 and outshone the Perth metropolitan area, according to the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia. 
Areas south of Perth, according to REIWA president Hayden Groves, were showing signs of strength. Some parts of regional WA, however, still suffer from the slowdown in the mining sector.
"Units experienced the biggest quarterly growth in median price, lifting six percent," he said.
"This can mostly be attributed to the Mandurah-Murray region which saw its median unit price improve significantly to $390,000 over the quarter, from $320,000 in the December quarter 2015.
“It’s really pleasing to see that regional WA’s overall median price lifted 1.3 per cent over the quarter, and looking at houses, units and land individually, there was notable growth in all three areas.
“Bunbury in the state’s South West saw the biggest increase to its quarterly median house price in the March quarter, lifting 5.6 percent to $395,000. Bunbury also saw an improvement in house sales activity over the quarter, with volumes increasing six percent in the first three months of this year."
<a href="/images/2016/05/31/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-31%20at%2011.06.03%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/05/31/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-31%20at%2011.06.03%20AM.png" alt="">
 
  Other regional areas to experience positive median house price movement according to REIWA were:
<ul>
<li>  Northam - $245,000 (4.3 percent)</li>
<li>  Albany Urban Area - $386,000 ( 2.7 percent)</li>
<li>  Kalgoorlie-Boulder - $340,000 (2.6 percent)</li>
</ul>
 Mandurah-Murray region - $396,000 ( 1.9 percent) 
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Regional WA outperforms Perth in price growth: REIWA

<html><body>
<div>Macroprudential measures have had the desired effect, and the rate of home price growth has steadied.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>CoreLogic-RP Data's Daily Home Value Index may be a little seasonal, but the year-on-year figures show the slower gradient of growth.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Nationally home price growth has slowed to +6.3 percent year-on-year.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Melbourne (+8.8 percent), Sydney (+8.1 percent) and Brisbane (+4.5 percent) between them have accounted for most of the price growth over the past year.  While Sydney and Melbourne have been grabbing all the attention in recent years, Brisbane prices have just kept rising steadily and under the radar.  CoreLogic's index shows the median price for Brisbane &amp; Gold Coast having increased by $61,330 or +13.1 per cent over the past three years.  Although I have long been sceptical about the somewhat parlous state of the South Australian economy, Adelaide mediabn prices have also increased by just shy of +10 per cent over the same timeframe.</div>
<a href="/images/2016/04/11/RP1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/04/11/RP1.jpg" alt="">
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I was busy doing other things than charting data over the Christmas/New Year 2014-15 period, so actually have no idea what happened in the gaps in the chart.  Maybe there was a property crash and a speedy recovery, for all I know, not sure.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
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>. 
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>.
</div>
</body></html>

pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Home price growth steadies: Pete Wargent

<html><body>
Home values across Melbourne have substantially outperformed the regional areas of the state, according to the NAB Residential Property Survey.
While Melbourne home values rose by 11.2 percent over the past twelve months, the next best performing regions across the state were the primarily agricultural regions of Goulburn and Wimmera, where home values increased by 5.6 percent and 5.5 percent respectively.
<a href="/images/2016/03/14/Screen%20Shot%202016-03-14%20at%2012.41.27%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/14/Screen%20Shot%202016-03-14%20at%2012.41.27%20PM.png" alt="">
Melbourne’s strong rate of growth started to show some tentative signs of easing over the final quarter of 2015, with home values slipping 1.9 percent lower. 
At the same time auction clearance rates moderated from the high 80% range down to the mid 60 percent range indicating some rebalancing towards buyers in what has been a strong sellers’ market since mid-2012.
<a href="/images/2016/03/14/Screen%20Shot%202016-03-14%20at%2012.41.37%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/14/Screen%20Shot%202016-03-14%20at%2012.41.37%20PM.png" alt="">
The supply-demand fundamentals for the Melbourne housing market have not been as supportive as those in Sydney, despite strong population growth, due to relatively stronger construction rates over the years. Nevertheless, the NAB Residential Property Survey shows that foreign demand tends to be particularly strong in Melbourne, which in conjunction with low interest rates – contributing to local borrowing capability – has seen prices grow quite strongly. 
NAB has lowered its expectation for house price growth to 2% in 2016 (from 11.7% in 2015).
Price momentum is expected to slow, however, as affordability has deteriorated considerably in an environment of little to no real household wage growth. NAB also anticipates an extremely large supply response to record high prices in Melbourne, particularly in the inner city unit/apartment market, which will outpace demand. In combination with a more subdued population growth outlook and tighter credit conditions from prudential regulator changes, these factors will weigh on future price growth. 
Nevertheless, improving economic conditions in the state are expected to maintain solid rates of employment that will provide underlying support to house prices, although price growth will be more modest than in recent years. 
The NAB Property Survey reported a notable deterioration in market sentiment during the final quarter of 2015, although the deterioration was not as pronounced as that seen in the other major eastern markets, and Victoria is now the strongest state overall (replacing NSW).
Additionally, respondent expectations for house price growth in the next 12 months roughly halved, despite an increase in rental expectations, while foreign buyer demand for both new and existing properties eased off.
<a href="/images/2016/03/14/Screen%20Shot%202016-03-14%20at%2012.44.23%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/14/Screen%20Shot%202016-03-14%20at%2012.44.23%20PM.png" alt="">
As a result, NAB has lowered its expectation for house price growth to 2 percent in 2016 (from 11.7 percent in 2015). Given the anticipated ramp up in supply of units/apartments, and uncertainties over foreign and investor demand, prices for this type of housing are expected to fall 3 percent in 2016.
 
</body></html>

Melbourne house values tipped to increase by two percent, units expected to fall by three percent: NAB

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 12">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Cooler investment sentiment may be making its way to Newcastle and the Hunter Valley from Sydney according to Herron Todd White's February Month in Review however hotspots in Newcastle still remain.
HTW note some speculations tip growth rates to exceed Sydney’s, with HTW predicting strength in the local market will remain property located within a five kilometre radius of the Newcastle CBD and within close proximity of the University of Newcastle.
<div class="column">
"Residential property in popular holiday destinations such as Nelson Bay will remain in high demand, however it’s important to remember large external financial events can impact discretionary spending in different ways," the report said.
"Some people may be encouraged to holiday and spend their money locally which benefits local economies, while some people may refrain from holidaying at all until economic conditions improve. Sadly, housing market prospects in the towns dependant on the mining industry do not look like improving in the short to medium term. 
</div>
<div class="column">
Williamtown’s contamination issue continues to dominate media headlines and unfortunately for many living within the identified contamination zone, 2016 remains a year in question and we are all hoping for a positive outcome here. 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Newcastle growth rates tipped to exceed Sydney: HTW

<html><body>
Melbourne's Warrandyte topped the list of suburbs in December 2015 quarterly growth, according to latest REIV stats. 
Nearly all (98%) of dwellings in Warrandyte were houses, according to RP Data.
<a href="/images/2016/02/26/Screen%20Shot%202016-02-26%20at%201.13.02%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/02/26/Screen%20Shot%202016-02-26%20at%201.13.02%20PM.png" alt="">
 
*Only suburbs with at least 50 sales in the relevant quarter are included
Property Observer looked up recent sales in Warrandyte on <a href="https://realestateview.com.au/" target="_blank">www.realestateview.com.au</a> and came up with these:
<img src="/images/2016/02/25/Screen%20Shot%202016-02-25%20at%202.51.43%20PM.png" alt="" width="608" height="377">
1. A four-bedroom house with a landscaped native garden at <a href="https://realestateview.com.au/real-estate/15-west-end-road-warrandyte-vic/property-details-sold-residential-9801293" target="_blank">15 West End Road</a> (above) sold for $1,060,000.
<img src="/images/2016/02/25/700_w1.jpg" alt="" width="547" height="391">
2. A five-bedroom two-storey house on <a href="https://realestateview.com.au/real-estate/60-lynette-avenue-warrandyte-vic/property-details-sold-residential-9734801" target="_blank">60 Lynette Avenue</a> (above) fetched $1,070,000. 
<img src="/images/2016/02/25/w2.jpg" alt="" width="521" height="316">
3. A three-bedroom dwelling at <a href="https://realestateview.com.au/real-estate/230-heidelberg-warrandyte-road-warrandyte-vic/property-details-sold-residential-9715454" target="_blank">230 Heidelberg-Warrendyte Road</a> (above) went for $990,000.
 
</body></html>

Warrandyte tops Melbourne median price growth in December quarter

<html><body>
Home value growth is expected to slow across Australia in 2016 after two years of exceptional appreciation and double-digit growth in many areas, according to a new index.
The just-launched CoreLogic-Moody’s Analytics Australian Forecast Home Value Index forecasts a slowdown in house price growth across the country, underpinned by expectations of slower income growth.
But accommodative policy, robust rental growth, and a recovering labour market are expected to support valuations over the medium term, it said.
The new index makes a quarterly projection of the trend of residential home values across the country over the next 10 years. Forecasts are updated monthly to help market participants identify opportunities and manage risk exposures.
“We are excited to partner with Moody’s Analytics to launch this Forecast Index to provide a unique and critical perspective on Australia’s most valuable asset class, currently valued in excess of $6.4 trillion AUD,” said Craig Mackenzie, CoreLogic EGM, Banking &amp; Finance.
“On the outlook for the housing market nationally, we expect house price appreciation to slow in 2016. Our forecast reflects lower income growth as the Australian economy transitions away from mining-related investment, as well as the strong build-up of housing supply over the past two years,” said Alaistair Chan, a Sydney-based economist based at Moody’s Analytics.
The index currently includes forecasts at a capital city and rest-of-state level.
Regionally, Sydney’s housing market is expected to rebound by late 2016, while Melbourne is expected to go through an extended period of sluggishness. Mining regions, including Perth, the rest of Western Australia, and Darwin, are likely to have downbeat results over the near to medium term. No price declines are expected in Adelaide, although price growth will underperform the rest of the country for the near to medium term.
“Conditions in Melbourne are again expected to outperform Sydney this year, with values forecast to rise by 7.2% in 2016, before slipping back to just 1.3% growth in 2017,” said CoreLogic research director Tim Lawless.
While the pace of house price appreciation is forecast to slow in Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin this year, some pick-up in growth is expected in the remaining capital cities. Hobart, in particular, stands out for better price growth, it adds.
</body></html>

Housing market in for a slowdown in 2016, says new index by CoreLogic & Moody’s Analytics 

<html><body>
Buying a property to rent out is a popular form of investment, the Federal Government's Moneysmart website notes.
Houses and units are easier to understand than many other types of investments, yet they do have some issues you need to be aware of.
Before you enter the property market, check if this type of long-term investment suits you, the site suggests.
It illustrated its warning with a reference to a 2013 chart showing a <a href="https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/investing/property" target="_blank">historical price perspective on Gold Coast units</a>. 
<a href="/images/2016/01/25/investings-graph.png" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/01/25/investings-graph.png" alt="">
<h3> </h3>
</body></html>

po-LsXgBTHBmX

Property 101: Moneysmart reminds that Gold Coast apartment prices can fall

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Events in the world’s two largest economies look set to dominate proceedings in 2016. 
The scale of the slowdown in China and the speed of further US interest rate rises will determine the performance of property markets across developed and emerging markets alike over the next 12- 18 months. 
Last year we correctly anticipated that Sydney and New York would outperform in 2015 rising by 5%-10%. 
Sydney has exceeded expectations, prime prices in the city look set to end 2015 15% higher. 
At 5%, price growth in New York has been strong but mitigated to some extent by the strength of the US dollar which has curtailed foreign demand. 
By the end of 2015, we expect the strongest and weakest performing prime markets to be separated by around 20 percentage points, in 2016 we forecast this figure will slip to 15 points as price growth converges. 
Whilst luxury price growth looks set to converge, monetary policy globally is likely to follow a divergent course. 
The US and UK will be tightening monetary policy whilst the Eurozone, Japan and China are expected to either loosen policy further through additional stimulus measures or are likely to stick to the status quo in policy terms.
<a href="/images/2016/01/11/Screen%20Shot%202016-01-11%20at%2011.30.15%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/01/11/Screen%20Shot%202016-01-11%20at%2011.30.15%20AM.png" alt="">
</div>
</div>
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
This year our Risk Monitor assesses the likelihood and impact of ten key scenarios on each of our cities. 
As we take the pulse of city markets in December 2015, it is perhaps no surprise that the Fed’s recent rate rise and the impact of terrorism/geopolitical tension on the world’s top cities, are currently considered the highest risks to luxury city markets. 
In previous years, the Eurozone and its potential break-up was the top threat to economic and property market stability but jitters over its demise have subsided as the ECB has announced an extension to its QE programme. Instead, emerging markets and the risk of potential deflationary cycles represent the major headwinds for the global economy. 
For most cities, low income growth and a slowing domestic economy are considered the lowest risks to luxury markets. 
There is a chance that the recent 0.25% US rate rise and resulting strong dollar could spark a new wave of safe haven capital flows from emerging markets to first tier luxury residential markets. However, with new supply in several markets expanding (Hong Kong, London, Miami, New York) we think it’s unlikely we will see prices respond in the same way they did post-Lehman. 
<a href="/images/2016/01/11/Screen%20Shot%202016-01-11%20at%2011.32.07%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/01/11/Screen%20Shot%202016-01-11%20at%2011.32.07%20AM.png" alt="" width="797" height="527">
Of the ten cities analysed in our forecast, only three are expected to see prime prices decline in 2016; Hong Kong, Singapore and Paris.
In both years, Sydney is expected to come out on top, although the pace of price growth is expected to slow from 15% year-on-year in 2015 to 10% in 2016. Australia’s economic slowdown, weaker stock market performance in recent months and the introduction of foreign investment fees explain the lower rate of growth in 2016.
Only London, Paris, Geneva and Singapore are forecast to see stronger price growth (or a slower rate of decline) in 2016 than in 2015.
London’s upturn is marginal, from 1% in 2015 to 2% in 2016. Higher transaction costs (a 3% increase in stamp duty for buy-to-let properties and second homes), political risk around the Mayoral election in May, and ongoing affordability concerns explain our muted forecast.
The recent terrorist attacks in Paris will undoubtedly affect buyer sentiment and will mean some buyers delay investments. With a Presidential Election less than 18 months away, however, we do not expect any radical shake up to the tax structure for foreign buyers and the city remains competitively priced compared to other top global cities.
Overall, prime prices across all ten cities are, on average, expected to have increased by approximately 3% in 2015 but average annual growth is forecast to slip to 1.7% in 2016. This confirms our view that lower returns will become the norm in the short to medium term.
Of the cities analysed, Hong Kong is forecast to overtake Singapore as the weakest-performing luxury residential market in 2016. A number of new developments are due to come to the market in 2016, this new supply coupled with a strengthening HK Dollar (pegged to the US Dollar) will see prime prices soften.
The price decline seen in Singapore’s prime residential market is expected to persist at least until the end of 2016 following the government’s assertion that it has no plans to relax its property market cooling measures. However, the drop in price of luxury properties has presented pockets of investment opportunities. We expect sale volumes to increase in 2016 and, due to the shrinking inventory of high-end homes, price falls within the prime sector will be less pronounced than those across the island as a whole. 
In the current climate of heightened political tension and ongoing tax fluctuations, Monaco’s status as a private and secure retreat continues to appeal to the world’s wealthy. With supply severely constrained on the two-mile wide principality we forecast steady price growth of 5% in 2016 as demand and sales activity picks up.
The Geneva market, along with Switzerland as a whole, has been characterised by levels will keep prices from rising over the next 12-18 months, hence our forecast of 0% growth in 2016, but more stable trading conditions seem likely in 2016 and beyond.
In 2015, the demand for New York’s luxury homes cooled from the frenetic pace observed in 2013 and 2014 due to the strength of US dollar and weaker economic conditions worldwide, although it is not expected to impact price trends until 2017. With the US federal and presidential elections due in November 2016 both New York and Miami are likely to see buyers adopt a wait-and-see approach.
South American currencies and the euro will influence demand/capital flows.
<div class="page" title="Page 4">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<div class="page" title="Page 5">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<a href="/images/2016/01/11/Screen%20Shot%202016-01-11%20at%2011.38.41%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/01/11/Screen%20Shot%202016-01-11%20at%2011.38.41%20AM.png" alt="">
 
<div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Liam Bailey is global head of research and Kate Everett Allen is international residential research Knight Frank. They can be contacted <a href="https://www.knightfrank.com/research/prime-global-forecast-2016-3450.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

With 10% price growth Sydney tipped to lead the world in 2016: Knight Frank

<html><body>
Melbourne has yet to catch Sydney as national house price growth halves, according to the official ABS data for the September quarter when the growth gap narrowed.
The weighted average price index for residential properties across the eight capital cities for the September quarter rose 2%, the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed, lower than the 4.7% national growth in the June quarter.
According to the Residential Property Price Indexes, the index rose 10.7% through the year to the September quarter.
Capital city residential property price indexes rose in Sydney (3.1%) in the September quarter, Melbourne (2.9%), Brisbane (1.3%), Adelaide (1.2%), Canberra (1.3%) and Hobart (0.5%). Two cities showed a fall, Perth (-2.4%) and Darwin (-0.4%), it said.
"Annually, residential property prices rose in Sydney (+19.9%), Melbourne (+9.9%), Brisbane (+3.8%), Canberra (+4%), Adelaide (+3.5%) and Hobart (+1.7%) while they fell in Darwin (-2%) and Perth (-3.3%).
"The total value of residential dwellings in Australia was $5 859 824.6 m at the end of September quarter 2015, rising $137,125.0m over the quarter. The mean price of residential dwellings rose $11,900 to $612,200 and the number of residential dwellings rose by 38,600 to 9,572,400 in the September quarter 2015."
<a href="/images/2015/12/15/Screen%20Shot%202015-12-15%20at%2012.06.30%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/12/15/Screen%20Shot%202015-12-15%20at%2012.06.30%20PM.png" alt="">
For the June quarter, the index rose 9.8% through the year.
"Capital city residential property price indexes rose in Sydney (8.9%), Melbourne (4.2%), Brisbane (0.9%), Adelaide (0.5%) and Canberra (0.8%), was flat in Hobart (0.0%) and fell in Perth (-0.9%) and Darwin (-0.8%)," it noted.
"Annually, residential property prices rose in Sydney (+18.9%), Melbourne (+7.8%), Brisbane (+2.9%), Canberra (+2.8%), Adelaide (+2.7%) and Hobart (+1.5%) and fell in Darwin (-1.8%) and Perth (-1.2%).
"The total value of residential dwellings in Australia was $5,761,607.2m at the end of June quarter 2015, rising $271,939.1m over the quarter. The mean price of residential dwellings rose $26,200 to $604,700 and the number of residential dwellings rose by 38,400 to 9,528,300 in the June quarter 2015."
</body></html>

Price Growth

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Price Growth

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News