Longstanding Gold Coast and Canberra developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/morris-property-group">Morris Property Group</a> is continuing to roll on with its Glitter Strip apartment pipeline, seeking to return to Mermaid Beach with a new 68-apartment development.

Morris, founded by Barry Morris in 1978 and one of the Gold Coast’s most prolific apartment developers over the past two decades, has filed plans for a 12-storey mixed-use building at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/36-seabeach-avenue-mermaid-beach-qld-4218">34-36 Seabeach Avenue</a>, on the prized eastern side of the Gold Coast Highway.

The 1,227 sqm site occupies a prominent corner position at Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway, opposite the Mermaid Plaza retail and office precinct and around 140 metres walking distance from the future Mermaid Beach South light rail station.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fraser-partners-0">Fraser &amp; Partners</a> has designed the project, which will comprise 68 apartments across a mix of 48 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom residences.

The building will rise 12 storeys, reaching a maximum height of 36 metres, with the apartments accounting for a total of 156 bedrooms. The development application also seeks approval for short-term accommodation across the 68 apartments, while two office tenancies are proposed at ground level.

The plans show 108 car spaces across the development, with parking accommodated at ground level and within a three-level basement accessed from Seabeach Avenue.

<img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c2175c99-12fd-4a3c-9be1-89bbf258a90d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%202.59.41%E2%80%AFPM_0.png?VersionId=iNLzWcE6gaAE76rafhEXfHve.4g4Se0p" />

Resident amenity will be concentrated on level two, where Fraser &amp; Partners has designed a recreation deck with a swimming pool, 90 sqm pool terrace, outdoor barbecue area and gym.

The broader communal offering will also incorporate landscaped spaces, with the planning documents noting the amenity has been designed to provide areas for recreation, social interaction and outdoor living.

The proposal would continue the transformation of the Gold Coast Highway corridor through Mermaid Beach ahead of the arrival of the light rail.

The site is zoned Neighbourhood Centre and sits within the Mermaid Beach/Broadbeach Light Rail Corridor neighbourhood plan. While the prescribed building height is 24 metres, the site is identified within an Urban Neighbourhood context providing for a 50 per cent height uplift to 36 metres.

Planning documents describe the stretch of the Gold Coast Highway between Broadbeach and Nobby Beach as increasingly characterised by medium and high-rise development, with the proposed Morris tower joining projects including Ventura, The Alfred, Oceans and Otto.

<img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="911f193f-e381-4a55-be08-58be87fcf978" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%202.59.48%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=oxVvLJaY.SOXEdXrIcogfyEXDfvCmmpM" />

The development would mark Morris Property Group's latest investment in Mermaid Beach, where it has already delivered two apartment projects.

Otto, at 1 Bondi Avenue on the western side of the Gold Coast Highway, comprises 70 apartments across nine storeys. The project was completed in 2019 and includes a residents' gym, recreation deck and swimming pool.

Morris also developed Oceans at 46 Ocean Street, a nine-storey, 70-apartment build-to-rent development completed in 2019. Oceans was the group's first build-to-rent project and incorporates commercial space at ground level.

The two existing Morris projects sit further north along the same Gold Coast Highway corridor as the proposed Seabeach Avenue development. Fraser &amp; Partners' planning analysis specifically identifies both Otto and Oceans among the established built-form precedents surrounding the site.

<img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="14925119-7b71-4812-8149-340317512c7c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%203.00.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=aEJqYuw_nTCjcin17BSD0piB1EFotTlj" />

Mermaid Beach represents only part of Morris' considerable Gold Coast footprint.

The family-owned developer has been particularly active in neighbouring Broadbeach, delivering projects including Sierra Grand, Eclipse, Synergy, Qube, Koko, Opus and Malo, while its current pipeline includes Maison and the two-tower Crest development.

Further south, Morris has also developed a string of projects in Burleigh Heads, including Element, Boardwalk and Sandbar, while Essentia expanded its footprint north into Surfers Paradise.

The Seabeach Avenue application has been lodged by PMM Broadbeach Pty Ltd and seeks a development permit for a Material Change of Use for multiple dwellings, short-term accommodation and office uses. Zone Planning Group prepared the planning application, with Fraser &amp; Partners commissioned as architect.

The project comes as the developer continues to expand its Gold Coast pipeline while retaining a significant presence in Canberra. Morris now has more than $2.5 billion of development in its national pipeline and has delivered more than 7,000 homes during its near five-decade history

Joel Robinson

First look: Morris Property Group returns to Mermaid Beach with new Seabeach Avenue apartment development

<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3hvFB2uWTRfEyEcpTSnnK9" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis" target="_blank">Fortis</a>&nbsp;is continuing its stronghold on Sydn​ey’s eastern suburbs apartment market, launching&nbsp;in September&nbsp;its latest boutique&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/double-bay-nsw-2028&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0GI5S9-wNeiLUnM-d1uYkw" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/double-bay-nsw-2028" target="_blank">Double Bay</a>&nbsp;development,&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-william-double-bay-55-william-street-double-bay-nsw-2028&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2YNouJQcFjiTTgVHbgDLA-" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-william-double-bay-55-william-street-double-bay-nsw-2028" target="_blank">55 William</a>.

55 William presents&nbsp;just eight north-facing&nbsp;two-bedroom, three-bedroom and full-floor&nbsp;residences to the market, priced from $4.5 million.

The upcoming launch comes just weeks after Fortis secured approval for the $80 million development, its third eastern suburbs approval in two months. Construction is already underway, with completion targeted for 2028.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376250]

55 William adds to a growing concentration of Fortis projects in and around Double Bay, a market the developer has become increasingly active in over recent years.

Fortis previously completed the nine-residence Marmont on New South Head Road, while it is currently developing a mixed-use residential and retail project at 12 Cross Street. Its wider Double Bay footprint also extends into commercial and retail development.

The developer's broader Sydney residential pipeline is particularly concentrated across the eastern suburbs, with projects spanning Doub​le Bay, Ro​se Bay, Wo​ollahra, Dar​ling Point, Poi​nt Piper and Eli​zabeth Bay.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376253]

At 55 William, Fortis has again turned to MHN Design Union, the architecture practice behind several of its eastern suburbs projects, while London-based 1508 London has been appointed to handle the interiors and Wyer &amp; Co the landscaping.

The six-level building will comprise a combination of two and three-bedroom apartments, including a garden residence, full-floor apartments, a sub-penthouse and penthouse. Each residence will have secure basement parking and private outdoor space.

A rooftop terrace for all residents, along with select apartments, enjoys views across Double Bay Harbour and toward the Sydney skyline.

Ceiling heights will reach up to three metres&nbsp;in select residences, while the kitchens will feature natural stone and integrated Gaggenau appliances.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The boutique nature of the project reflects the type of stock Fortis has increasingly targeted across Sydney's eastern suburbs, where larger apartments and smaller buildings are being pitched primarily toward local owner-occupiers and downsizers.

Fortis Group General Manager Ed Eve said the developer continues to see demand from buyers wanting to remain in the eastern suburbs but move into newer, lower-maintenance housing.

“We're seeing continued demand from local owner-occupiers and downsizers looking for high-quality homes that allow them to remain in the eastern suburbs, close to the lifestyle and community they know,” Eve said.

55 William is also one of the early projects to respond directly to the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms. Fortis had previously secured approval for just two townhouses on the 599 sqm site before revising the scheme to eight apartments following the planning changes.

Situated one street back from Double Bay's water's edge, the project enjoys an enviable harbourside setting within walking distance of Double Bay Village and the ferry wharf.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376252]

Fortis has increasingly made the eastern suburbs a major focus of its Sydney pipeline. Beyond Double Bay, it recently completed the 14-residence Piper in Point Piper and has projects underway or planned across Rose Bay, Woollahra and Darling Point.

The developer recently secured approval for Verano in Rose Bay, a six-level development comprising 21 two, three and four-bedroom apartments, also designed by MHNDU.

55 William&nbsp;is soon to be release to the market with VIP appointments commencing early September,&nbsp;with residences priced from $4.5 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152579]

Fortis continues eastern suburbs push with 55 William launch

UAE-based developer Arada has unveiled plans for a $2 billion twin-tower apartment development in Broadbeach, marking its first move into Queensland as it continues its rapid expansion across Australia.

Arada will develop 952 apartments across two towers on a prominent site opposite the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the project targeted for completion ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The project represents Arada's largest commitment to the Australian market since arriving in the country in 2024 and significantly expands a local pipeline that has now grown to eight projects and more than 5,000 homes.

It will also be the first major Queensland project delivered by Roberts Co since the tier-one contractor was acquired by Arada Group in 2025.

Plus Studio has designed the Broadbeach development, which will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two towers connected by a landscaped podium.

A significant resident amenity offering will include lagoon and lap pools, a gym, sauna and steam room, alongside a mist room, infrared room and salt scrub facilities. Communal terraces, private dining areas, a library, residents' lounge and work-from-home spaces are also planned. Around 1,200 sqm of retail and hospitality space will occupy the ground floor.

The site puts Arada in one of the Gold Coast's most active apartment markets, directly opposite the convention centre and within walking distance of Pacific Fair, The Star Gold Coast and Broadbeach's dining and retail precinct.

It also has immediate access to the Gold Coast light rail network and sits just a few blocks from the beach.

Arada Group Chief Executive Ahmed Alkhoshaibi said Broadbeach represented an opportunity for the developer to expand beyond its initial NSW pipeline.

“Broadbeach is a world-class address that gives us the canvas to create a community of exceptional design and lifestyle quality that genuinely enriches the daily lives of the people who call it home,” Alkhoshaibi said.

“This is our first development outside New South Wales, and it reflects our growing ambition to grow in key urban markets around the country.”

Alkhoshaibi said bringing Roberts Co into the project would give Arada greater control over the development and construction process.

“Delivering this project through Roberts Co, our own tier-one construction business, means we can bring the quality, pace and accountability that our buyers expect.”

The move into Broadbeach comes as Arada accelerates its Australian expansion following its entry into the market two years ago. The developer has assembled a pipeline of eight projects comprising more than 5,000 homes, while the acquisition of Roberts Co last year gave the group its own Australian construction capability.

Globally, Arada has a development portfolio valued at $50 billion comprising more than 55,000 homes across the UAE, United Kingdom and Australia.

The Gold Coast is emerging as the next major market for the developer, with strong population growth and infrastructure spending ahead of the 2032 Games continuing to underpin significant apartment development across the coastal strip.

Arada plots $2 billion Broadbeach towers in major Queensland move

Sydney’s downsizer market is changing, with a growing cohort of buyers prioritising the right home over simply finding a smaller one.

Coronation Property Head of Sales Cam Porter says the traditional idea of downsizing does not necessarily reflect what many buyers are now looking for, particularly those moving from established family homes across Sydney.

Instead, he says they are increasingly becoming “right-sizers”, seeking lower-maintenance homes without sacrificing the space, amenity or quality they have become accustomed to.

“We are increasingly seeing buyers who are not motivated by the idea of simply moving into a smaller property,” Porter says.

“They are right-sizers. They want a home that is easier to manage and better connected, but they still expect generosity, quality and a floorplan that supports the way they live.”

It is a subtle but important distinction in a market where apartment developers are increasingly targeting established owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377495]

For many of these buyers, moving from a house to an apartment is not driven by a desire to dramatically reduce their living space. Instead, the appeal is in removing some of the maintenance associated with a larger home while retaining generous living areas, storage and enough flexibility to accommodate family and friends.

Coronation’s sales team is seeing buyers place particular importance on natural light, practical storage and additional rooms that can be used as guest bedrooms, home offices or secondary living spaces.

Kitchens and dining areas are also playing an increasingly important role, particularly for buyers who regularly entertain or have children and grandchildren visit.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377494]

“These buyers still want their home to feel generous,” Porter says.

“They may want less maintenance, but they are not looking for less life.”

The challenge for the broader housing market is providing enough of the right stock to encourage that move.

While much of the discussion around Sydney’s housing shortage has centred on the number of homes being delivered, Porter says the diversity of those homes is equally important.

Older homeowners can remain in large family houses for longer when they cannot find an appropriate alternative in the neighbourhoods where they have built their lives.

“The decision is rarely as simple as wanting fewer bedrooms,” Porter says.

“People are weighing up their connection to a neighbourhood, the space they need for family, the quality of the home and whether it will continue to work for them over the long term.”

It also has implications beyond the downsizer market. Providing suitable apartments for smaller households can free up established houses for families who need the additional bedrooms and land, creating greater movement through the housing market.

<h2>Lillian targets the next stage of apartment buyer</h2>

It is a buyer Coronation is targeting at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/lillian-erskineville-9-metters-street-erskineville-nsw-2043">Lillian</a>, its new collection of apartments, terraces and penthouses at Erskineville Village.

Designed by Silvester Fuller, Lillian has been shaped around larger living spaces, natural light and flexible floorplans, alongside landscaped areas, wellness amenity and communal spaces for residents.

The development will form part of Coronation’s broader Erskineville Village precinct, which will combine new homes with green space, retail, hospitality and new pedestrian connections.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377688]

McPherson Park will sit at the centre of the precinct, creating a significant new green space alongside the project’s retail and hospitality offering.

For Porter, the opportunity is to give buyers another housing option without forcing them to leave the part of Sydney they already know.

“People should be able to change the type of home they live in without having to change their entire life,” he says.

“For many buyers, Lillian offers the opportunity to remain connected to the Inner West and the city, while gaining access to a more convenient, walkable and considered way of living.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377687]

Coronation will explore the changing <a href="https://lillianresidences.com.au/news/lillian-x-space-x-downsizers-event-27-august/">right-sizer market at an event on August 27</a>, bringing together experts across property, design and lifestyle.

Held in partnership with SPACE, Poliform and Downsizer.com.au, the event will include a property market outlook from economist Michael Blythe alongside discussion around the considerations facing buyers planning their next move.

Attendees will also be able to learn more about the residences and amenity planned at Lillian Erskineville.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135149]

From downsizing to right-sizing: What Sydney buyers want from their next home

Family-owned builder and developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/omaya">Omaya</a> is bringing its 27-storey The Maybelle development to market, with the 229-apartment tower rising alongside Ismay Reserve near North Strathfield.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-maybelle-21-parramatta-road-homebush-nsw-2140">The Maybelle</a> will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with its height providing elevated outlooks towards the Sydney skyline and Harbour Bridge, while other residences will look across neighbouring Ismay Reserve.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/squillace-architects">Squillace Architects</a>, the tower combines its parkside setting with proximity to the established retail, dining and transport amenity around North Strathfield.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376196]

Residences will feature open-plan living spaces and a choice of two interior schemes, while communal amenity is spread across two elevated levels of the building.

Level 8 will be home to the Garden Pavilion, a full-floor resident space incorporating communal entertaining and breakout areas, seating and recreation spaces. Further up the tower, a landscaped Sky Terrace on Level 14 will provide another communal area with panoramic views towards the Harbour Bridge and Sydney skyline.

At ground level, the development sits directly alongside Ismay Reserve, where lawns, walking paths, children's play areas, picnic spaces and recreational facilities extend the green space available immediately around the project.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376194]

The Maybelle is also within walking distance of North Strathfield and the Bakehouse Quarter, which provides a mix of cafés, restaurants, shops and everyday services.

Existing rail and bus services provide connections across Sydney, while the future North Strathfield Metro and access to the M4 will add to the transport options available around the precinct. Walking and cycling routes also extend via Powells Creek towards Sydney Olympic Park and its sporting, entertainment and parkland precincts.

Families are also well positioned for access to a broad selection of established schools and education options across Strathfield and the surrounding Inner West.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376181]

Omaya has operated in Sydney for more than 35 years, managing projects from acquisition and design through to construction and delivery. The family-owned company is both developer and builder of The Maybelle.

Apartments start from $560,000, with the development protected by 10-year Latent Defects Insurance.

Construction is well underway, with completion expected by the end of 2026 and move-in anticipated from Q1 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134873]

The Maybelle brings 27-storey parkside tower to market near North Strathfield

Property Buyers

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Apartments in Broadbeach achieved 5.4% median price growth per annum during the past five years, according to market analysts Urbis.
Urbis found that the suburb's record price growth was bettered by only one capital city, Hobart, which gained 8% per annum.
The result comes on the back of a sharp spike of southern interest in the suburb, in particular from NSW.
Developer Andrews Projects for example reported a 300% increase in interstate enquiries for its Broadbeach towers – many from buyers aged 55-64 years.
The developer is constructing two apartment towers in the suburb, with works having recently commenced on 25-storey Encore Broadbeach and the 25-level Vue Broadbeach due to be delivered later this year.
Andrews Projects Sales Manager Sarah Andrews said interstate buyers were increasingly looking to purchase apartments in Broadbeach on the back of massive infrastructure investment in the suburb.
“We have been overwhelmed by the number of enquiries we’ve received from Sydney and New South Wales property buyers on the hunt for quality apartments in Broadbeach, particularly those aged 55 to 64 years with one eye on their post-retirement lifestyles.”
“Broadbeach has rightly become one of the best performing apartment markets in the country and we are pleased that our two towers will ensure more people get the chance to live in such a vibrant precinct,” she added.
Due for completion in late 2019, the $75 million Vue Broadbeach at 10-12 First Avenue, Broadbeach (pictured in title) features 71 apartments across 25 levels, with its penthouse having already fetched $5 million.
<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/2019/9/9/encore%20.jpg" alt="">
Meanwhile, Encore Broadbeach, which is located at 36-38 Britannia Avenue (pictured above), will feature 84 apartments with ocean and city skyline views.
Floor-to-ceiling double-glazed windows will wrap the entire building.
Due for completion in late 2020/early 2021, two and three-bedroom ocean view apartments are now selling from $599,000.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

NSW buyers trigger spike in Broadbeach apartment values

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Perth’s median house price would need to increase by 4.3 per cent every year over the next 10 years for a house purchase to be considered profitable over renting at the median rent, according to a new index.
The Buy-Rent Index, developed by the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia and Curtin University, will help determine the best time to buy or rent in the Perth metro region, based on past and current trends.
The quarterly index is based on economic models that help identify the annual house price growth rate required for home ownership to be financially advantageous over renting. 
The 4.3 percent figure for the increase in house prices was taken for the June quarter 2017. Since 2002, Perth’s annual growth rate in the median house price has been 6.9 per cent. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/29/PerthIndex1.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/09/29/PerthIndex1.png" alt="">
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<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/09/29/PerthIndex2.png" alt="">
REIWA CEO Neville Pozzi said the index would provide prospective home owners and renters with an insight into whether it is a good time to buy or rent based on trends in the current market. 
“In the current economic and property climate, we recognise it can be difficult for West Australians to determine whether or not they should buy or rent,” he said.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/29/PerthIndex3.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
 <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/09/29/PerthIndex3.png" alt="">
J-Han Ho, a property researcher and senior lecturer in the School of Economics and Finance at Curtin Business School, said the index aimed to help Perth households make an informed decision about buying or renting a home. 
“Many households only focus on the location and price of the property when looking to buy, but this shows there are many other factors that need to be considered including interest rates, opportunity cost of capital and the property being a long-term investment. Buying at the right time can achieve a superior outcome to buying in the right location,” Ho said. 
Figures for the September quarter Buy-Rent Index will be released late December 2017. 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

New index to compare buying vs renting in Perth

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/81319/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Contrary to the image a property investor might conjure up - a wealthy full-time property speculator - most residential investors in Australia don’t actually rely on it as their primary source of income.
In reality, Australia’s residential investment market is dominated by people who, having bought their own home, have moved onto buying an investment property. These small-scale investors own 83% of all investment properties.
Previous research shows that real estate investors tend to be married, wealthy males with high income and full-time employment. 
A typical rental housing investor is a high-income earner or family partnership, owning one or two dwellings as an extra income source. The probability of becoming a residential investor tends to increase with age and homeowner status, but declines after the age of 65.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-01%20at%2011.34.43%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-01%20at%2011.34.43%20AM.png" alt="">
With home ownership rates in Australia at around 70%, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports that residential investment represents, on average, 35% of all housing finance, while the rest are all owner-occupiers. This means residential investment is an important part of the mortgage market and banking system. 
Most residential investment is centred around rent or resale; only a small proportion goes on construction of new homes. And residential investment by corporations or big companies represents only 8% of the market.
Private data from a major mortgage provider used in my research (for the period 2003-09) reveals what the typical real estate investor looks like. They are on average 42 years old; 72% are married; and fewer than two-thirds of investors get finance with a co-borrower. Only a third of investors are female. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-01%20at%2011.35.44%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-01%20at%2011.35.44%20AM.png" alt="">
The Conversation, <a class="license" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-ND</a>
According to the same data, residential investors have an average net monthly income of A$8,600, or A$103,200 a year. But if we exclude the 100 investors with a net monthly income over A$100,000, the average net monthly income becomes A$6,617, or A$79,404 a year. 
Residential investors, financing the property with a mortgage, have on average A$934,091 in net wealth (50% of investors have A$581,541 in net wealth). Some of them have diverse portfolios; 6% of investors also own shares with an average value of A$4,884.
The data also show that direct residential investors are mainly professionals, in management positions, small business-owners, or workers with a skilled trade. Overall, 27% are self-employed, relative to the 19% of self-employed owner-occupiers.
Where they invest
The data reveal that direct residential investors invest mainly on existing houses, as do owner-occupiers when buying a property. The ABS reports only 3% of investors’ financial commitments are destined for construction of new dwellings.
Our data shows that residential investors are more willing to invest interstate or in a different postcode than owner-occupiers. While almost half of residential investors invest in a property located in a different postcode to where they live, 11% of residential investors buy properties in states other than the state where they live.
Most residential investors choose rural and regional areas to invest. Many residential investors choose to buy property in big metropolitan cities like Sydney and Melbourne. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-01%20at%2011.37.07%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/08/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-01%20at%2011.37.07%20AM.png" alt="">
However, the top 10 postcodes chosen by residential investors to buy property (between 2003 and 2009) include Cairns (QLD), Mandurah (WA), Torquay (VIC), Mackay (QLD) and Launceston (TAS).
Why do they invest?
Our research shows the main reasons for accessing finance to buy a house, other than to live in it, are income and wealth accumulation. 
Some investors invest because they see it as a long-term, secure, “bricks and mortar” investment. To these investors other types of assets (such as shares and bonds) may seem harder to understand and it may be more costly to enter these markets. 
A proportion of real estate investors see it as a source of permanent income, while others speculate on the potential capital gains in real estate and invest expecting to increase their wealth. 
This reason becomes more prominent during periods of strong house price appreciation. For example, between 2003 and 2009 year-to-year average house price inflation has been 8.9%.
Academics have also argued that the Australian taxation system motivates – rather than facilitates – housing investment, as investors are able to access 50% deduction on capital gains and negative gearing. Another motivator to invest in real estate may be more mortgage finance access; for example, between 2003 and 2009 the average 12-month housing credit growth has been of 14.6%. 
Of course there are other reasons to invest, such as moving up or down and maintaining other property as an investment, or getting a holiday home and keeping it as an investment too. There are also “unintentional” real estate investors that may have inherited or acquired property.
Most residential investors are your average Australians, who invest in rural or regional areas as a secondary source of income and to gain equity. So when thinking about who is the typical Australian retail investor, you could probably look at your neighbour.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/maria-yanotti-349557" target="_blank">Maria Yanotti</a> is Lecturer of Economics and Finance Tasmanian School of Business &amp; Economics, University of Tasmania and author for <a href="https://theconversation.com/au" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.
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Who is the typical investor in the Australian property market?

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Startup Houseandland.com.au said it has developed a new technology to match home shoppers with their 'perfect house and land match'. 
House and Land (<a href="https://www.houseandland.com.au/" target="_blank">houseandland.com.au</a>) says its technology is an industry-first, and has been developed utilising its HAPI technology. 
The website connects buyers with the latest house designs from Australia’s leading builders and developers, along with the best estates and land blocks across the country, and tries to match them with their requirements. 
Buyers can compare designs, land for sale and land estates, as well as fixed-price house and land packages across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth on the website.
HAPI also allows companies to adapt the offering to their own business by integrating the solution into their own websites and apps 
“Having worked in the property industry for many years, I wanted to provide a solution for land owners and property developers that is based on my own experiences and learnings, which has resulted in an authentic solution,” said developer and House and Land founder Dean Kyros.  
The technology can be embedded within existing websites while also expanding a developer’s reach through the website houseandland.com.au.
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Startup plays matchmaker for buyers and developers with innovative platform 

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An online tool, Landchecker, that promises to do all the due diligence for property buyers saving them precious time, was launched this month. 
Launched earlier in September by founders of Melbourne architecture agency Ewert Leaf and property developer Moda Corp, <a href="https://www.landchecker.com.au" target="_blank">Landchecker</a> collects all relevant information about a property so people can easily perform due diligence before they invest and also keep property records up-to-date. 
“People are often unaware of the planning controls that affect their home so this tool enables them to quickly check their land for any underlying constraints or opportunities,” Landchecker founder and Ewert Leaf co-director Will Leaf said. The tool took 18 months to develop.
“As architects and developers, we found we were assessing data through several different websites which became time consuming and frustrating. Landchecker aggregates this information on a single platform.” 
For a given address, Landchecker will prepare a property report and the relevant planning controls, such as zones, overlays, schools, bushfire and flood-prone areas and places of cultural sensitivity. It costs $5.99.
The founding team includes Toby Ewert, Ed Farquharson, technical partner Simon Holland, chief technical officer Tim Asquith and general manager Jim Leaf.
<img src="/images/2016/09/13/Landchecker.jpg" alt="">
“Homebuyers often don’t understand where to find this information and currently it is found through several different websites,” Leaf said. “We are helping people to access it quickly in a user-friendly, legible manner.” 
“Landchecker will ensure people are better prepared when they meet with agents or legal representatives because they will be able to ask the right questions – for example, what impact does this heritage overlay have on the value of this property or its potential for redevelopment?’” he said. 
A property professional or investor can access a real-time map and also get permit data, which will also show applications pending and approved. 
Leaf said Landchecker could change the parameters of transparency in property.
“In a society where transparency is becoming a critical part of business, we think it will become popular with financial institutions and mortgage brokers as a means of creating loyalty with customers. Would you bank with someone who didn’t tell you that your house was in a flooding overlay if they had the capacity to do so?”
 
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Want to save time on property buying? Log onto Landchecker

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Industrial areas in South East Melbourne's Mount Waverley and Oakleigh are in high demand currently due to the conversion of industrial properties into residential  developments.
Only four of the 28 units remain not he market at Spectrum Business Park,  <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-industrial+warehouse-vic-mount+waverley-501259367" target="_blank">21-35 Ricketts Road Mount Waverley</a>, and 19 of the 25 office warehouses at Industria, <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-industrial+warehouse-vic-oakleigh-500996351" target="_blank">20 Edward Street, Oakleigh</a> are already sold. 
Luke Pitcher, manager of project marketing for Crabtrees Real Estates said the most in demand properties are those in the price points from $500,000 to $1.3 million.
"The ratio of investors to owner occupiers in these recent sales was approximately 60% owner occupiers to 40% investors," he said.
“Investors are successfully leasing the units and gaining net returns of approximately 6-7%." 
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