Developers and apartment buyers have a narrowing window of opportunity before Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure pipeline begins competing directly with residential construction, pushing up costs, tightening labour supply and making new projects increasingly difficult to deliver.

While Brisbane's apartment market continues to benefit from strong population growth and limited housing supply, industry research suggests the years leading up to 2027 could prove to be the most important period for developers looking to secure builders and buyers hoping to purchase before the next wave of price increases.

A new Colliers report, Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Creating Solutions, highlights the scale of the challenge. While thousands of new homes are planned across South East Queensland, the Brisbane Olympic Athletes Village alone will deliver more than 10,500 beds during the Games before being converted into around 1,750 to 2,000 apartments. Equivalent to almost two years of typical inner-city apartment supply, the project will also absorb a significant share of the construction workforce and building materials.

The broader construction pipeline paints an even clearer picture.

Construction Skills Queensland's Horizon 2032 report forecasts Queensland's annual construction pipeline will average $69 billion over the coming years before peaking at $75 billion in 2027-28. Demand for construction workers is expected to increase by 17 per cent to almost 150,000 people, with the industry facing an annual shortfall of around 19,000 workers that could blow out to as many as 35,000 during the peak construction period.

The Olympic venues, athletes village and supporting infrastructure will account for billions of dollars worth of work across South East Queensland through to 2032, creating intense competition for labour at a time when Australia's residential construction sector is already under pressure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=373834]

Colliers Queensland Residential Director Andrew Scriven said the convergence of these projects is creating a clear window of opportunity for both developers and buyers.

"From 2027 onwards, the market will shift dramatically," Scriven said.

"Labour will increasingly be locked into government-led infrastructure and Olympic projects, which means private residential developments will face higher costs and tighter margins. The developers who move now are the ones most likely to get projects off the ground."

Scriven said the same dynamic would also affect buyers, with fewer apartment projects expected to launch once construction capacity tightens.

"If you're looking to change your lifestyle over the next five years, now is your window of opportunity to buy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150713 project_image_fid=373827]

Developers are already positioning themselves ahead of that window.

Following the success of Monarch at Toowong, Consolidated Properties is preparing to launch two new Brisbane apartment projects in the second half of 2026. They include <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gloriette-30-bedivere-street-yeerongpilly-qld-4105">Gloriette</a> at Yeerongpilly Green, a 25-storey tower within one of Brisbane's key Olympic precincts, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a recently approved 25-storey riverfront development at 47 Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

Hutchinson Builders will deliver both projects, with early works already underway at Yeerongpilly and Newstead expected to commence later this year.

The timing comes as Brisbane's fundamentals continue to strengthen, with strong interstate migration, population growth and vacancy rates remaining below 1.5 per cent.

Colliers Queensland researcher Pragya Sharma said Greater Brisbane is forecast to require around 40,000 new apartments between 2021 and 2031.

"There's a real mismatch emerging between when housing is needed and when it will be feasible to build," Sharma said.

"As a result, the period leading up to 2027 presents a key window of opportunity for developers to secure approvals, funding and construction capacity, while buyers will have greater choice before supply constraints intensify."

Colliers research outlines a critical pre-2027 window to start residential projects before labour squeeze: now is the time to buy

Joel Robinson

Developers, buyers on watch in South East Queensland ahead of construction crunch: Colliers

It's taken less than nine months for developer Sherpa Property Group to sell out all 51 apartments in its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-oasis-palm-beach-7-9-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Oasis</a> development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a>, over a year before its anticipated completion.

&nbsp;

Located at 7-9 Sixth Avenue, the $67 million development has resonated strongly with both local owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking high-quality apartments within walking distance of the beach, dining precincts and everyday amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357458]

Christie Leet, Founder of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a>, said the sell-out reflected both the strength of the Palm Beach market and the success of Sherpa's community-first approach to development.

"The sell-out of Oasis is a fantastic outcome and reinforces the strong demand we're seeing for thoughtfully designed apartments in lifestyle locations," Leet said.

"From the outset, our vision was to create a development that genuinely enhanced the Palm Beach community while providing residents with exceptional homes and wellness-focused amenities.

"We've been incredibly encouraged by the level of local support throughout the campaign, 72.5 per cent of buyers are locals, with a significant proportion of purchasers choosing Oasis as their future home rather than an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357463]

Construction is now progressing following development approval, with trusted builder LPS Group delivering the project and completion anticipated in Q3 2027.

Oasis forms part of Sherpa Group's successful Flourish collection, which has become recognised for its focus on wellness, community and elevated coastal living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357469]

Residents will have private access to a rooftop amenity space featuring a pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, spa and barbecue facilities.

"The success of Oasis demonstrates that buyers continue to prioritise quality, location and lifestyle," Leet said.

"We are proud to have delivered a project that has resonated so strongly with the market and look forward to bringing Oasis to life for our future residents."

Sherpa recently launched <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>, its third instalment of the Flourish brand in Palm Beach following Flourish Oasis and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151449]

Sherpa sells out Flourish Oasis in booming Palm Beach

Urban Property Group's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-macquarie-park-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a> is leading the next phase of Macquarie Park's residential evolution, with the new apartment development set to become the first of several new apartment projects in the precinct to complete.

The 169-apartment building has now topped out ahead of its scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2026, as new residential investment continues to reshape one of Sydney's largest employment hubs into a true mixed-use precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=368645]

Cox Architecture has designed La Vera to capture the best of its unique positioning on Talavera Road, orienting the building towards Lane Cove National Park.&nbsp;The building features a sculpted northern façade with flowing curves inspired by the surrounding landscape, while its city-facing elevation adopts a more structured architectural expression to maximise skyline views.

"The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park," <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> Director Felipe Miranda said.

"The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=358802]

La Vera offers a diverse mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom configurations, with prices currently starting from $740,000. Buyers so far have been a mix of Sydney-based investors,&nbsp;metro commuters, owner-occupiers and downsizers from surrounding North Shore suburbs.

Both investors and owner-occupiers have been drawn to La Vera's proximity to Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Centre and the Sydney Metro, infrastructure that supports both strong rental demand and a convenient lifestyle for residents.

The apartments feature full-height glazing, timber flooring throughout living areas, stone kitchen benchtops, SMEG appliances, floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling and ducted air conditioning.

Residents will have access to a rooftop recreation level featuring a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue facilities and landscaped relaxation areas, complemented by additional communal space at ground level. Many apartments enjoy uninterrupted views across Lane Cove National Park, reinforcing the project's connection to its natural setting.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=364551]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly four decades of experience, holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating and was Australia's first developer to introduce 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI). La Vera is the first apartment development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> approved to offer the additional insurance protection, alongside a five-year warranty on SMEG appliances.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said the additional protection reflects changing buyer expectations in the off the plan market.

"Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share," Elias said.

Following completion of the building later this year, buyers will move into their apartments well before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]

La Vera closes in on completion as Macquarie Park continues residential transformation

Brisbane developer Red &amp; Co's decision to include dual key apartments in its debut Gold Coast apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/como-varsity-lakes-22-lake-street-varsity-lakes-qld-4227">COMO Varsity Lakes</a>, is proving to be one of the project's biggest drawcards, with buyers quickly snapping up the flexible residences.

More than half of the project's 36 dual key apartments have already sold, helping drive COMO beyond the 50 per cent sold mark within the first month of launch.

The strong response highlights growing demand for apartment designs that can adapt to changing lifestyles, with buyers increasingly looking for homes that accommodate multi-generational living, provide rental income opportunities or simply offer greater flexibility over time.

Located on the shores of Lake Orr, COMO will deliver 156 apartments across 16 levels, with the dual-key residences forming a limited release within the broader development.

Each combines a primary two-bedroom apartment with a fully self-contained studio on a single title, connected by a shared foyer and lockable internal door. The design allows owners to house ageing parents, adult children or guests while maintaining privacy, or lease the secondary residence to generate additional income.

Just 17 of the original 36 dual key apartments remain available.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=367096]

The innovative configuration combines two fully self-contained residences on a single title, typically comprising a primary two-bedroom apartment alongside a separate studio residence, connected via a shared foyer and lockable internal door.&nbsp;

The model is proving particularly attractive to owner occupiers navigating changing family dynamics and the realities of the current housing crisis.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363511]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/npa">NPA</a>&nbsp;CEO Andrew Erwin said dual key living was resonating strongly with modern buyers because it delivered both financial flexibility and practical lifestyle benefits.&nbsp;

“The housing crisis and rising cost of living are fundamentally changing how Australians think about home ownership,” Erwin said.&nbsp;

“Dual key apartments provide a genuine solution for families who want to stay connected while maintaining independence. Parents can help adult children save for a future home, ageing parents can remain nearby without moving into aged care, and owners still retain privacy and flexibility.

“Importantly, buyers are also recognising the financial advantages. It creates the opportunity to generate additional income from part of the home without the holding costs associated with owning a separate investment property.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363509]

Unlike traditional dual occupancy arrangements, the residences operate under a single title, meaning owners only incur one set of body corporate fees, council rates and holding costs.&nbsp;

The secondary residence can also evolve over time - functioning as guest accommodation, a home office, creative studio or private retreat before later becoming an income-producing asset.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/red-co">Red &amp; Co</a>&nbsp;Director and Co-Founder David Laverty said the strong early sales reflected growing buyer urgency and changing priorities within the market.&nbsp;

“Securing more than half of COMO’s residences within such a short timeframe is an outstanding result and a clear endorsement of both the design and location,” Laverty said.&nbsp;

“Buyers are responding to the combination of location, connectivity and amenity, but ultimately it’s value relative to other East Coast markets that is driving enquiry.”&nbsp;

“We’re also seeing strong interest from owner occupiers looking for homes that can adapt with them over time. Flexibility has become one of the most important considerations for buyers in today’s market.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363515]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>, COMO features a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom residences with 2.7-metre ceilings and larger-format floorplans aimed at owner occupiers, downsizers and lifestyle-focused buyers.&nbsp;

The development will feature an extensive rooftop recreation and wellness offering including a 25-metre lap pool, sundeck, barbecue and dining areas, gym, sauna, plunge baths, landscaped gardens, wellness spaces and rooftop pickleball and paddleball courts.

The remaining dual key apartments range from 137 sqm to 167 sqm and include generous three-bedroom layouts with separate self-contained studio accommodation and dual parking.&nbsp;

Erwin said the dual key concept represented a broader shift in how Australians would live in the future.

“People want homes that can evolve with their lives,” he said.&nbsp;

“A dual key apartment can suit a family today, support an ageing parent tomorrow, and potentially generate income later on. That adaptability is becoming incredibly valuable in the current environment.”

Prices currently range from $2,115,750 to $2,583,000.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135546]

Inter-generational living drives demand for COMO’s dual key apartments as housing pressures reshape buyer priorities 

Builder-developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ceerose">Ceerose</a> has doubled down on its Leichhardt ambitions, lodging its second State Significant Development Application (SSDA) in the suburb in the last six months.

Their newest proposal seeks to transform a former industrial precinct into a new residential community centred around the adaptive reuse of one of the site's heritage warehouse buildings.

The new project, on a 6,930 sqm block at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/40-76-william-street-leichhardt-nsw-2040">40–76 William Street</a>, will bring more than 200 apartments to a suburb that has seen little to no new supply in recent years. It follows Ceerose's late 2025 SSDA for a mixed-use apartment project on nearby Parramatta Road, signalling the developer's growing investment in Sydney's Inner West.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, the redevelopment would involve the demolition of four existing industrial buildings while retaining and adaptively reusing the site's most significant warehouse. The retained structure would anchor a new residential precinct comprising five interconnected buildings arranged around a large central landscaped courtyard, with heights stepping from five storeys along the surrounding residential streets to 11 storeys at the William Street corner.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7258c54c-8167-479e-8361-2d5fca9915b4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010B%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%202.jpg?VersionId=S9DQfxu_jpcB5LrAEYFUbyMzg5odW6i5" />

According to the Architecture Design Report by Woods Bagot, the proposal "seeks to create a residential village centred around a generous green heart while celebrating the site's industrial heritage through the adaptive reuse of the existing warehouse building."

The development would comprise 203 apartments, with 188 proposed as build-to-sell residences, alongside 15 affordable housing apartments.

Rather than treating the retained warehouse as a standalone heritage object, Woods Bagot has sought to weave the site's industrial history throughout the masterplan. The proposal retains the north and west facades of the landmark corner warehouse, while new buildings reinterpret the site's brick-and-steel industrial language through their material palette and architectural expression.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9e8c64c2-881b-49e1-8c90-6b6acaaa45b6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010C%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%203.jpg?VersionId=Qm8_8H_Xrg_sc4Mdjc59vlAcKF_5wRTb" />

The design is organised around what Woods Bagot describes as a "green heart", a landscaped communal open space that reinstates the leafy character removed when the site became an industrial storage facility. A new pedestrian laneway running through the site would improve permeability between William, North and Francis streets, linking residents through landscaped public spaces while activating the ground plane.

Residents would have access to communal gardens, rooftop open space and shared recreation areas distributed throughout the development. Sustainability has also been prioritised, with the project targeting an average 7.9-star NatHERS rating. Proposed initiatives include rooftop solar generation, rainwater harvesting, passive solar design, naturally ventilated lobbies, extensive cross-ventilation and the reuse of existing building fabric to reduce embodied carbon.

The adaptive reuse strategy became a defining feature of the application after heritage investigations found only one of the site's industrial buildings could feasibly be retained. The Heritage Impact Statement concludes that preserving the key warehouse façades while referencing the site's industrial character throughout the new development provides an appropriate balance between renewal and conservation.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="efffafdb-594f-4e2b-a067-921fd51c05e1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010D%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%204.jpg?VersionId=DPmE4.k16YRt0i27hEZVtJAffarpvUfx" />

"Retention and adaptation of the site buildings has been explored but found not to be feasible except for the tallest building, whose street facades will be retained," the heritage report states.

"The proposed building will interpret the brick and steel character of the subject site, including reuse of some components and construction of a large 'sawtooth' structure in the proposed open space."

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3bfef2b5-83f5-40cd-9cab-767092f34266" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010E%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%205.jpg?VersionId=7asb3i_ql4ybbuJOUb5UHBEIy0Q9t.DF" />

The William Street site is located around 300 metres from Leichhardt North Light Rail station and a short walk to Norton Street's retail, dining and hospitality precinct. The surrounding area has increasingly become a focus for urban renewal given its proximity to public transport and the Parramatta Road corridor.

Ceerose, founded by Edward Doueihi in 1998, has become one of Sydney's more active apartment developers, with completed projects including The Alex Collective in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay. They are currently delivering Belgravia, 17 luxury apartments in Potts Point.

First look: Ceerose doubles down in Leichhardt with adaptive reuse of former warehouse site

Property News

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The former NAB banker Lukas Kamay has been sentenced to jail for seven years, three months. The minimum served with be four years, six months.

Kamay was accused of using insider Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) information to make over $7 million by trading in the Australian dollar online over 10 months.

Police alleged Kamay, of Melbourne, used confidential ABS statistics to trade online, betting against foreign exchange derivative movements in the Australian dollar after allegedly being in receipt of national economic, retail trade and labour-force statistics before the normal 11.30am release.

Kamay plead guily to the charges. His accomplice, former ABS analyst Christopher Hill, was sentenced to three years and three months, to serve a minimum of two years.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=600]

Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth said it was "the worst instance of insider trading to come before the courts in this country".

Kamay spent some of the proceeds on an apartment in The Block Albert Park.

His headline grabbing Albert Park purchase was the luxury apartment decorated by the runner-up Adelaide twins, Alisa and Lysandra which sold at its April auction for $2,375,000 —<a href="https://www.dinglepartners.com.au/index.cfm?pageCall=property&amp;propertyID=2618525" style="line-height: 1.3em;" target="_blank"> a massive $616,000 above the reserve of $1,759,000</a>. 

The Sunday Herald Sun <a href="https://ow.ly/i/5wuz5/original" target="_blank">uncovered Kamay's $2,375,000 purchase</a>.

<img alt="HS_cover_SUN.jpg" src="https://static.ow.ly/photos/original/5wuz5.jpg" title="HS_cover_SUN.jpg">

Source: Ow.ly

The three bedroom apartment was marketed for Alisa and Lysandra, the former SA police officers, by the Melbourne CBD agents, Anton Wongtrakun and Rochelle Wilson from Dingle Partners.

Apartment 3 at 47 O'Grady Street (feature picture above) was resold mid-2014.

Investors paid $2,375,000 to buy after the televised initial purchase did not proceed to settlement.

The replacement buyers had the apartment advertised for rent at $2,500 a week through Dingle Partners.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Seven years jail for The Block Albert Park-buying ABS insider trader Lukas Kamay

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There are just the six houses on what's become known around the world as Ramsay Street, Erinsborough.

And despite all the comings and goings of the residents on the television show, only four of the six at the Vermont South setting have actually been sold over the past 30 years during which the internationally broadcast series, Neighbours has been broadcast.

Two of the four sold on the tightly held Pin Oak Court cul de sac have been bought by an expatriate Neighbours fanatic living in the UK who most recently paid $867,000 in early 2013 to secure his second 'Ramsay Street' house.

Andrew Whitney, who directs a private jet and helicopter charter flight company in the UK, outbid seven for the Pin Oak Court, Vermont South offering.

Also known as 30 Ramsay Street, the home of Jarrod 'Toadie' Rebecchi, it was offered through <a href="https://www.barryplant.com.au/property.cfm?propertyID=2272561" target="_blank">Barry Plant Real Estate</a>.

The former Blackburn North resident bought another Pin Oak Court house 17 years ago before moving to the UK for $238,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27783]

Mr Whitney once told the Herald Sun that he knows the street better than anyone.

"I record every episode of Neighbours," he said.

It was sold by the downsizing vendor Faye Pierce, with the buyer able to join the other court residents who are paid a substantial annual fee by the show's producers in agreeing to avoid changes to their facades without consultation and allowing external regular filming. It has been reported that even a letterbox change could be catastrophic for continuity.

<a href="/news">The four-bedroom home was built with her husband in 1973</a> with its expansive covered rear deck having elevated views over Billabong Park.

Marketed as the 'Neighbours House' at 3 Pin Oak Court, the property's marketing won a 2013 real estate marketing award for the Barry Plant Monash Group.

It was advertised as "Your chance to own a piece of Australian television history!"

The most traded on the street sold at $126,000 in 1984, just before the show began; then in 1999 at $312,580 and then in 2007 at $630,000.

The home of the Robinson family, where much of the early action in the soap took place, is number 6. 

[smartcode_project:default project_id=2772]

The original characters included plumber Max Ramsay (Francis Bell), after whose family the street was named, his migrant wife Maria (Dasha Blahova) and their sons Shane (Peter O'Brien) and Danny (David Clencie).

Widower Jim Robinson (Alan Dale) lived next door with his kids, Paul (Stefan Dennis), Julie (Vikki Blanche), Scott (Darius Perkins/later Jason Donovan) and Lucy (Kylie Flinker), and mother-in-law Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy).

It was launched by the Seven Network on March 18, 1985, but struggled for four months before cancellation, only to be reborn at Channel Ten to then become Australia's longest-running prime time soap, and the second longest in the world behind Britain's Coronation Street.

Neighbours was repackaged debuting on Ten in January 1986 with huge credit to Ten's director of publicity, Brian Walsh, who toured the cast across shopping centres, generating unprecedented interest in afternoon newspapers, with the likes of The Daily Mirror's David Brown securing regular front page exclusives on the latest for Scott and Charlene (Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue), which television critic Michael Idato once described as one of Australian television's iconic romances, on and off screen.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=2881]

One story line through the years was changing the name of the street to Ramsbottom Street. Harold Bishop led a protest against the name change and won.

The median price currently listed by <a href="/news">CoreLogic RP Data</a> for houses in Vermont South is $815,000. Back in the mid-1980s it was around $119,000.

The last sale prices on Pin Oak are:

<ul>
<li>3 Pin Oak $867,000 2013</li>
	<li>2 Pin Oak $630,000 - 2007</li>
	<li>6 Pin Oak $238,000 - 1998</li>
	<li>1 Pin Oak $235,000 - 1991</li>
	<li>4 Pin Oak $66,950 - 1981</li>
	<li>5 Pin Oak $62,000 - 1978</li>
</ul>
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Not much movement among Neighbours on Pin Oak Court as Ramsay Street celebrates 30 years

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The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has banned the founder of the Charterhill Group of Companies, George Nowak, from providing financial services until 3 July 2017 on the basis that he is an undischarged bankrupt.
ASIC's investigation, which is ongoing, found that Nowak applied for personal bankruptcy in July 2014.
Section 920A(1)(bb) of the Corporations Act provides that ASIC may make a banning order against a person if the person becomes insolvent under administration.
Nowak is banned from providing financial services for the period of his bankruptcy. He is also automatically banned, under the Corporations Act, from acting as company director and being involved in the management of companies for this period.
Nowak has a right of appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of ASIC’s decision.
ASIC is continuing to investigate the conduct of Nowak and the activities of the Charterhill Group, which operated as a 'one stop shop', providing advice to clients on the establishment of SMFS, rollover of existing superannuation funds into an SMSF, sourcing and purchase of investment properties, property management, insurance and taxation.
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George Nowak banned by ASIC after Charterhill collapse

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New research from Roy Morgan has revealed the domestic destinations that Australian families are most likely to name as somewhere they’d like to take a holiday.
Queensland tops the list, with 46% saying they’d like to holiday there in the next two years, followed by Victoria (45%) and NSW (43%).
However, of the capital cities, Melbourne is the clear favourite, named by 25% of families, well ahead of Sydney at 14%.
Roy Morgan noted where Melbourne offers culture, museums, sport and shopping for all ages. Surfers Paradise has beaches, theme parks, amusement arcades and endless sunshine, and is another popular potential holiday destination among Australian families, 15% of whom say they’d like to visit.
Top 10 domestic destinations Aussie families would like to holiday in the next two years
<img src="https://www.roymorgan.com/~/media/files/morgan%20poll/2015/march/6107-chart.jpg?la=en" alt="family-holiday-faves" width="800" height="522">
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), January 2014 – December 2014 (n=15,944). 
Other coastal holiday destinations that rate highly among Aussie families are Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island and New South Wales’s lush North Coast. 
Thredbo/Perisher is the ski-spot with the most appeal for families as a potential holiday destination, being 54% more popular with this demographic than the average Australian, Angela Smith, group account director, Roy Morgan Research noted.
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Queensland tops holiday destination wishlist for Australian families

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"Have you ever seen a $1 million in cash," a Sydney estate agent asked the quite surprised 2GB Money News broadcaster Ross Greenwood on his show last night.
"I can't think that I have," <a href="https://www.2gb.com/article/money-news-ross-greenwood-wednesday-march-4" target="_blank">was Greenwood's reply</a>.
"It's intoxicating, you can't keep your eye off it" the undisclosed agent advised.
The claim coincided with the unveiling of a federal government FIRB property buying consultation paper, with proposed measures designed to restore confidence in a foreign investment review system that had not prosecuted anyone for breaching the rules since 2006.
The agent said he came from an undisclosed suburb heavily populated by people of Chinese origin and also a destination for Chinese investors. Property Observer gathers it may be riverfront inner west Sydney.
"They come in weekly with literally suitcases with a $1 million, $2 million in cash," the agent told Greenwood, who had the agent's identity checked, but not revealed on air.
"The one thing they say is we don't need a bank, we can settle in two weeks."
Asked whether they were buying new or established homes the agent said: "Anything."
"It is happy days for me as I am an agent, but for my kids, your kids and the listener's kids, they have no hope."
Asked how they are getting around the rules, the agent said they respond 'you don't have to worry about that.'
One buyer told him the cash came from camper van trailer factory back in China, when his questioning met his curiosity and obligations regarding excessive cash transactions.
Ross Greenwood wondered how the money gets through Australian customs.
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Chinese investors reportedly with $1 million cash in suitcases to buy Sydney property

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The consumer watchdog has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against best-selling property investment author Rick Otton and his business We Buy Houses for alleged breaches of the Australian Consumer Law.
Otton is the author of How to Buy a House for a Dollar, which was rated as one of the Top 10 Most Popular Business Titles for 2013 by Money Magazine and Dymocks.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission claims Otton made representations to consumers that by attending seminars and boot camps they would be able to buy a house for $1; buy a house using little or none of their own money; and build property portfolios without their own money invested and without new bank loans.
The seminars and boot camps range in cost from $2,997 to approximately $17,000 for a mentoring program. 
The ACCC claims the strategies do not enable consumers to buy a house for $1 but rather involve consumers acting as middlemen to facilitate property transactions between third party sellers and third party buyers.
The alleged representations were made in a number of mediums since at least  1 January, 2011 including in published materials, on websites and during various events such as seminars and “boot camps”.
Otton is travelling so was unable to answer questions but provided a statement defending his business and book.
“It seems that the ACCC thinks that the public are fools, that they will take the title literally and think that they only need a dollar to buy a house,” he said.
“It’s a sad day when the ACCC thinks the Australian public is that foolish that they don’t understand that the dollar is just the start of the process.”
Otton claims the expression is often used in business that you can buy a business for $1, that is, for the value of the debt owed by the business.
Otton says the We Buy Houses “technique” involves buying a property where the loan repayments on a house are creating hardship for the owner, and the loan amount is so high that the owner cannot sell the house for enough money to pay out the loan.
“Why wouldn’t the owner welcome someone new who can step in, agree to buy the house and pay out the loan down the track?” he says.
“The ACCC is taking a literal interpretation of the title, it’s like saying the book Fifty Shades of Grey is misleading because it’s not about paint colours, or that David Niven’s memoirs, The Moon’s a Balloon, isn’t about the moon.”
ACCC chairman Rod Sims said in a statement that the watchdog is concerned the strategies promoted by We Buy Houses and Otton “target vulnerable consumers who don’t qualify for bank loans or who are having difficulties meeting their mortgage repayments”.
Otton came under scrutiny in 2013 <a href="/news/wa/best-selling-property-investment-authors-wa-seminars-banned-department-of-commerce">when his seminars in Western Australia were banned by the Department of Commerce</a> on the basis of misleading advertising. 
The matter is listed for a directions hearing in Sydney on 1 April, 2015.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/" target="_blank">SmartCompany</a>.
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ACCC drags Rick Otton to court for his “Buy a house for $1” claims

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More than half a million Australian households were the victims of malicious property damage, while another 400,000 suffered a break-in or attempted break-in at their home in the 2013-14 financial year, a survey published last week has found.
Malicious damage was the most common property crime, with 6% of the 8.8 million households surveyed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics claiming to have suffered at least one incident during the year.
That rate was 10 times higher than the proportion who experienced a motor vehicle theft and double the proportion who said items had been stolen from their vehicle.
Only half of households that experienced malicious property damage reported the incident to police, the ABS survey found. Three quarters reported a break-in but only 43% reported an attempted break-in.
Despite the risk of theft and damage to home and contents, four out of five Australians has inadequate property insurance and one in four has no contents insurance cover at all, according to a separate survey by Quantum Market Research for the Insurance Council of Australia.
Some people said the cost of insurance was too high while others were complacent about the need for coverage.
For landlords, insurance premiums can be claimed as a tax deduction. The scope of <a href="/expert-insights/investing/what-is-landlords-insurance-investment-terms-explained">landlord insurance</a> varies between policies, but most include coverage against malicious damage to the building and its contents by tenants and their guests, as well as intruders.
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Malicious damage the most common property crime

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In late January, I attended the Inman Real Estate Connect Conference in New York.  The conference is targeted at real estate professionals and provides insight into the latest news and trends within the market. 
This week’s I'll share some of the new technology, websites and applications as well as some of the ways US agents are now using social media to communicate with clients.  Most of the websites and applications are US-centric but here I will highlight those which are also relevant to the Australian market.
Social Media
In the US, social media is big for real estate agents and brokers.  Although LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube and Twitter may immediately spring to mind, real estate professionals are now starting to effectively create leads from Instagram and Pintrest. 
In fact, in the US, agents receive more referral traffic from Pintrest than they do from Google Plus, Linkedin and Youtube combined.  Real estate professionals are effectively using Pintrest by creating pinboards of design ideas and solutions that they like and local area information. 
This can include but is not limited to:
<ul>
<li>Smart home design</li>
<li>Storage solutions</li>
<li>Room designs</li>
<li>Local area landmarks (shops, cafes, bars etc)</li>
<li>Local restaurants</li>
</ul>
Furthermore, US agents are pinning the listings information of homes they have, and have had, available for sale so they can show customers on their inspections. 
Instagram is being used in a similar way whereby agents create a unique hashtags (e.g. #ckusherlistings) and upload photos of all their current and previous listings to have these immediately searchable to show clients.
Websites
<a href="https://buzzsumo.com/" target="_blank">Buzzsumo.com</a>
Buzzsumo is a website that that allows you to analyse how well your social media content is being used.  It shows the total number of shares of your content and then breaks it down by the different social media platforms. 
Social media in real estate certainly isn’t as big in Australia as it is in the US, but this is a good website that allows you to see where both you and your competitors are getting the eyeballs and ultimately the shares.
<a href="https://www.fancyhands.com/" target="_blank">Fancyhands.com</a>
Fancyhands is a US based business which offers a virtual personal assistance service.  As per the website they can do all those tasks that you don’t have the time nor the desire to do, this may include:
<ul>
<li>Managing your appointment schedule</li>
<li>Organising travel</li>
<li>Administrative tasks such as data entry</li>
<li>Reservations</li>
<li>Booking travel</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.floored.com" target="_blank">Floored</a>
Floored create 3D videos of properties so potential buyers can walk through a property before they physically see the property.  The models are optimised so you can watch them through an internet browser of through a mobile phone or tablet.  The technology can also be used to create 3D real estate models for homes which aren’t even built as yet.  You can also include furniture to get an even clearer idea of how things will fit in the space.
<a href="https://www.oculus.com" target="_blank">Oculus</a>
Oculus is a virtual reality headset which is being backed by Facebook.  For the real estate industry it can be utilised by allowing customers to literally walk through the home without having to physically do open-for-inspection.
<a href="https://www.homekeepr.com" target="_blank">Homekeepr</a>
Homekeepr is a home maintenance app that can be used by both real estate professionals and anyone that owns a home.  The app asks 10 questions about the characteristics of your home, it then creates a list of maintenance tasks that are required for the home and sets reminders as to when you should do these tasks. 
The application provides a description of what the task is and why it should be done.  It then recommends local service providers to undertake these tasks.  The agent’s app offers customers the opportunity to download the app and it is customised to the clients’ home(s).  The list of local service providers for each task can be customised by the agent. 
When the task is due to be completed they receive both a notification on the app and an email from you as their agent reminding them that the task needs to be completed.  The agent can even put their own recommendations outside of those specifically for the home such as local restaurants, shops, schools and much more.
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How US real estate agents are using social media and new technology to win customers: Cameron Kusher

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Rich Lister Paul Little will become Australia’s newest billionaire, following Japan Post’s <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/growth/economy/45743-toll-board-backs-6-5-billion-takeover-bid-by-japan-post-investors-wipe-600-million-off-seek-share-price-despite-64-jump-in-profit-midday-roundup" target="_blank">proposed $6.5 billion acqu</a>i<a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/growth/economy/45743-toll-board-backs-6-5-billion-takeover-bid-by-japan-post-investors-wipe-600-million-off-seek-share-price-despite-64-jump-in-profit-midday-roundup" target="_blank">sition of Toll Holdings</a>.
Little, who led Toll Holdings for 26 years, currently holds a 5% stake in Toll Holdings. <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/growth/economy/45743-toll-board-backs-6-5-billion-takeover-bid-by-japan-post-investors-wipe-600-million-off-seek-share-price-despite-64-jump-in-profit-midday-roundup" target="_blank">The sale will mean</a> the Melburnian can expect a payday of at least $300 million.
While Little only found out about the takeover bid from Japan Post on Tuesday evening, <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/toll-holdings-takeover-paul-littles-300m-windfall/story-e6frg8zx-1227223862198">he told The Australian</a> the sale is an “emotional” one for him, but he is pleased to see a new home secured for Toll employees.
“It’s quite an emotional sale for me and my thoughts are with the staff. Their future is assured,” Little said.
Little is already one of Australia’s richest businesspeople, with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/paul-little/">Forbes estimating</a> the 67-year-old’s wealth to be in the vicinity of $820 million as of January this year.
The sale will add another feather to the bow of Little’s career, who nowadays is continuing to make waves with his property business, Little Property Group, and his aviation business, Little Aviation, and as chairman of Essendon Football Club.
Here are a list of highlights from the entrepreneur’s career:
1. Building Toll
Little retired as managing director of Toll in December 2011 after 26 years at the helm. He is credited with leading the management buyout of the company in 1986 and listing Toll on the Australian Securities Exchange in 1993.
But Little’s time at Toll also gave him a reputation as a consummate dealmaker, executing around 100 acquisitions during his time at Toll and building the company’s transport logistics network to 55 countries.
Little <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/leadership/38606-big-plans-exit-toll-holdings-chief-paul-little-rebuilds">previously said</a> companies should make sure an acquisition will make a business “bigger, better, smarter and more efficient” before signing the dotted line.
“An acquisition has to increase activity that lowers operating costs, or it needs to enhance customer service levels,” Little said.
“An acquisition has to do one of those two, or in some cases it needs to do both.”
2. Moving into property
Little founded his property business Little Property Group in 2005 and today the property development arm of the company alone <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/leadership/profiles/42242-big-dreams-how-michael-fox-helped-build-little-projects-into-one-of-melbourne-s-largest-property-developers">turns over more than $300 million in sales</a>.
Michael Fox, managing director of Little Projects, previously said the seeds of the Little Property Group were sown while he was working with Little at Toll.
“Our company really started by accident,” Fox said, recalling his time as head of property at Toll.
“I came across a [development] spot in Richmond that I thought I could do something with and I spoke to Paul about it. So it was a combination of my expertise and his bank account.”
Fox said Little Projects is now Melbourne’s largest property developer, selling 800 apartments in 2013. The company focuses on inner-city development sites in prime spots in Melbourne – including St Kilda, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and East Brunswick – and combines development with its own property management business for investors.
3. Becoming a property tycoon
Little has also used his deal-making skills at Little Property Group, <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/investment/35548-rich-lister-paul-little-snaps-up-real-estate-corp-for-60-million">snapping up rental listing company Real Estate Corp</a> for $60.7 million in February 2014.
At the time, Little Group managed around 3000 rental properties across Australia and Little Residential chief executive Phil Meggs said the acquisition would add around 15,000 additional properties to the network.
Little said at the time he was committed to offering high-quality, well-rounded services in the real estate market.
“As we started to break down some of the barriers and offer not just the opportunity for someone to buy one of our apartments, but then for us to rent it for them, and then one day sell it for them, we’ve found a huge interest in embracing this integrated or seamless approach to real estate,” Little told The Australian.
4. A love of football
Little is a passionate AFL fan and joined the board of the Essendon Football Club in 2011. He has served as chairman of the board since July 2013.
While Little has led the club’s fundraising working group for its new training and administration centre at Tullamarine, his focus has no doubt been on managing the fallout of the performance drug scandal that has plagued the club for the past two years.
5. Investing in digital
Little also owns shares in $100 million online conveyancing company Property Exchange Australia.
PEXA is aiming to disrupt the conveyancing market by offering lower cost property transactions and shorter settlement times.
Originally established in 2010, PEXA began offering full digital property services in New South Wales last November and expanded to Victoria this month. Moves into Queensland and Western Australia are slated for May, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/online-property-transaction-system-pexa-tipped-to-cut-conveyancing-costs-20150217-13grh0">according to Fairfax</a>.
SmartCompany attempted to contact Paul Little this morning but did not receive a response prior to publication.
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Paul Little to join billionaire club: The property tycoon and entrepreneur’s five greatest hits

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Melbourne-based startup Easy Inspect has developed a platform that allows property buyers to share the cost of inspection reports with other interested buyers.
<a href="https://easyinspect.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Easy Inspect</a> conducts structural and pest inspection reports on behalf of potential buyers interested in residential properties that are up for auction. Currently, the service is limited to the Greater Melbourne Metropolitan Area, but the startup is looking to expand to Sydney later in the year.
Once a house is on auction, buyers have six weeks to register their interest in the property following advertising rotations. Founder Michael Stafford said that his aim is to make inspections more affordable and easier for home buyers.
“Most people tend to conduct pre-purchase inspections separately and spend between $550 - $600 per inspection. We want to put the power in the hands of buyers and offer a standard factor rate of $185,” he says.
“The cost depends on the model of the house. For instance, a unit’s inspection report may be less than $185. Additionally, if there are less than 3 buyers up until one week before the final auction is due, then we try to figure out a cost that could be slightly higher. Auctions are expensive and can be a rushed process so we try to help the buyers.
“For most people, this is the biggest investment they will make and where they invest their life savings into. The costs are high and inspections may be difficult to organise. If they lose out on auctions repeatedly, they decide to forgo inspections completely and that is a massive danger.”
Stafford says that he works with registered contractors to carry out inspections, who have a minimum of $10 million in insurance. He’s funding the startup himself and is not currently looking for investment.
“There are hundreds, if not thousands of competitors out there but no one follows the same model as we do,” he says.
“Buyers can feel safe when they use our app, the turnover time is very quick and our inspections are a third of the price if buyers went to individual firms to get their properties inspected.”
He hopes to tie up with mortgage brokers and real estate agents in the future to spread the service.
“We did our public beta testing and have a couple of sample test reports. Our PR launch will start this week and we hope first time home buyers will be ready to get on-board,” he says.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.startupsmart.com.au/" target="_blank">StartUpSmart</a>.
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