The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-2" dir="auto">
<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-2" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:5a5ab36c-8dd3-454c-b456-c501f22f0eb4-0" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:5a5ab36c-8dd3-454c-b456-c501f22f0eb4-0" dir="auto">
The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
</section>
</section>

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Regional Markets

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
SA3 regions are part of the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS). An SA3 region provides a more granular look at the performance of housing markets given that these areas generally have a population of between 30,000 and 130,000 people and in regional areas they represent the area serviced by regional cities that have a population over 20,000 people.
Of the 148 regional SA3 areas, 62 of them have recorded an increase in dwelling values or no change over the year to April 2019. Four of the five regions with the greatest increase in values over the past year were in Tasmania with Huon-Bruny Island recording the fastest rate of growth (16.7%). Huon-Bruny Island along with North East Tasmania (11.5%) and Devonport (10.3%) were the only regions in which values increased at a double-digit rate over the year.
Regional SA3 areas, annual change and change from peak
Click <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_1.PNG" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_1.PNG" alt="Regional SA3 annual change and change from peak_1.PNG" width="528" height="555" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="12da801f-9ee1-4755-b04f-19148b9be58c" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_1.PNG">
 
Despite the headlines of weak capital city housing markets, the regional areas have generally fared much better in terms of value growth. Furthermore, 48 of the 62 regions have recorded increases in values despite values sitting below their previous peak. This points to a number of regions that have seen housing corrections starting to recover. Some examples of areas which have seen values increase over the year despite significant corrections include:
<ul>
<li>West Pilbara (WA) – values have risen 6.6% over the year however, they remain -57.6% below their peak.</li>
<li>Bowen Basin-North (Qld) – values have increased 8.5% over the year but remain -43.6% lower than their peak</li>
<li>Central Highlands (Qld) – values are 1.6% higher over the year but -41.9% lower than the peak</li>
</ul>
 Overall regional areas of Victoria and Tasmania are most prominent on the chart reflecting relatively stronger conditions in the regional areas of these states.
Regional SA3 areas, annual change and change from peak
Click <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_2.PNG" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_2.PNG" alt="Regional SA3 annual change and change from peak_2.PNG" width="589" height="619" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dee27823-0f08-4ac9-8006-f87cd157834c" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_2.PNG">
 
The remaining 86 regional areas of the country have seen dwelling values fall over the past year. The greatest decline in dwelling values over the past year has occurred in the Outback-South region of Queensland where values have fallen -35.0% taking them -48.3% below their peak. This is a fairly sparsely populated region of southern Queensland which is largely agricultural and has been adversely affected by drought conditions.
Regional SA3 areas, annual change and change from peak
Click <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_3.PNG" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_3.PNG" alt="Regional SA3 annual change and change from peak_3.PNG" width="552" height="557" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2e5295f7-142a-43aa-80fd-85f1a2c4c0fc" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_3.PNG">
The regions in which values have recorded the largest annual falls are generally remote mining and resource regions or those linked to the agricultural sector.
Of the 86 regions that have recorded a decline in values over the past year, 14 have recorded double-digit value declines. Again, most of these are mining or agricultural linked however, Kiama-Shellharbour (-11.5%) and Newcastle (-10.1%) are two regions that are fairly well populated that have seen large value falls, following a substantial rise in values during the recent growth phase. Wollongong in NSW has recorded the 15th largest decline over the year, having just avoided a double-digit fall (-9.6%).
Regional SA3 areas, annual change and change from peak
Click <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_4.PNG" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge.
<img class="align-center" src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_4.PNG" alt="Regional SA3 annual change and change from peak_4.PNG" width="512" height="549" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6ada93a6-b508-4314-b4bb-2029cc250744" data-image-style="" data-responsive-image-style="wide" data-zoom-image-style="_as_uploaded" data-mfp-src="https://www.corelogic.com.au/sites/default/files/inline-images/Regional%20SA3%20annual%20change%20and%20change%20from%20peak_4.PNG">
All of these regions now have values that are lower than their peak however, the largest falls from the market peak have been recorded in:
<ul>
<li>East Pilbara (WA) -69.3%</li>
<li>Kimberley (WA) -49.5%</li>
<li>Outback-South (Qld) -48.3%</li>
<li>Gladstone (Qld) -45.1%</li>
<li>Outback-North (Qld) -44.4%</li>
</ul>
From here it will be interesting to see how these regional markets react post-federal election. With some changes for housing (including the first home buyers deposit scheme and no changes to negative gearing / capital gains tax discounts), as well as APRA now considering changes to serviceability caps along with the prospect of interest rate cuts from the Reserve Bank, prospects for regional housing may improve over the coming months. Add to this the potential for the Australian dollar to move lower together with strong commodity prices, and the outlook for regions connected with the mining and commodities sector should continue to improve.
CAMERON KUSHER  is the head of research for the Australian branch of CoreLogic
Kusher regularly posts on the <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/taxonomy/corelogic-people/cameron-kusher" target="_blank">CoreLogic website</a>.
 
</body></html>

ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

Where are the suburbs with the biggest growth and declines: Cameron Kusher

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
Regional Victoria is the stand-out market in Australian real estate. Against a backdrop of Regional Australia providing the leading growth markets across the nation, Regional Victoria has large numbers of towns and suburbs with rising buyer demand and the strongest price growth anywhere in Australia. 
Our Summer survey of sales activity has identified 51 markets in Regional Victoria with rising demand, the highest since we started our quarterly sales surveys four years ago. Only Adelaide among the nation’s market jurisdictions has more growth markets than Regional Victoria – which also has another 90 locations with steady buyer demand.
The uplift in markets in Victoria outside Melbourne has created exceptional price growth: our latest survey has found 118 locations with median house price growth above 5% in the past 12 months, including 85 above 10% - of which 25 have grown more than 20%. A key factor is that most of these places have delivered price growth in the most recent quarter, as well as the past year, which means prices are still growing.
The leading locations are Clunes and Macedon (top) up 36%; Bunyip and North Wonthaggi 32%; Norlane 29%; Trentham 28%; Port Fairy 27%; Corio and Newcomb 26%; Warragul 24%; Officer, Cockatoo, Romsey, Whittington and Indented Head 22%; Inverloch, Loch Sport, Maryborough and Golden Point 21%; Avoca, Beveridge, Broadford, Maddingley, St Leonards and Woodend all 20%.
Bendigo, which overtook previous market leader Ballarat in our Spring 2018 survey, has increased its lead in the Summer survey. It now has 10 suburbs with rising demand, making it one of the leading LGAs in the nation. Growth suburbs include California Gully, Golden Square, Kangaroo Flat, Long Gully, Maiden Gully and North Bendigo.
The recent surge in sales activity is starting to create solid price growth, with California Gully, Eaglehawk, Flora Hill, Heathcote, Kennington and North Bendigo all up 6-8% in the past year. Like Ballarat, Bendigo is attracting both investors and home-buyers from Melbourne and elsewhere.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/subscribe" target="_blank"><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/2019/2/Subscriber%20strip%20ad.jpg" alt=""></a>
Growth markets in Ballarat, which is ahead of Bendigo in the market cycle, have reduced to five and there are now 10 suburbs classified as “plateau” markets.  The previous uplift in demand has created a climate where most Ballarat suburbs are delivering big price growth: 14 suburbs are up by more than 5% in the past year, headed by Golden Point (21%), Buninyong (15%), Ballarat North (15%), Redan (16%) and Wendouree (17%).
A new contender has emerged in our past two quarterly surveys: the towns of the Latrobe Valley. Traralgon, Churchill, Moe, Morwell and Newborough all have growth markets. Quarterly sales in Churchill have been rising steadily, with the median house price up 9% in the past 12 months – but still below $200,000.
Quarterly sales have also risen in Moe in the past year and its median has grown 3%, but also remains below $200,000. This high level of affordability is a key drawcard for this market, which is being boosted by government investment to mitigate the impact of power station closures.
Geelong remains a strong market – one of the nation’s most prolific – but sales activity is no longer growing the way it has over the past two years. It now has more plateau markets than rising ones. But the strong demand of the past two years continues to deliver price growth – 24 suburbs of Greater Geelong have risen more than 10% in the past 12 months, with Corio, Norlane, Newcomb, St Leonards, Whittington and Indented Head all above 20%. 
Other regions where demand has passed its peak but price growth remains high include the LGAs of Cardinia (Pakenham, Officer, Bunyip and Emerald), Baw Baw (Warragul, Drouin and Trafalgar), Mitchell (Broadford, Beveridge and Kilmore), Surf Coast (Anglesea, Apollo Bay and Torquay), Bass Coast (Cowes, Inverloch and Wonthaggi) and Macedon Ranges (Gisborne, Kyneton, Romsey and Woodend).
But new growth markets are now occurring right across Victoria. At Portland in the far south-west of the state – quarterly sales have been on an upward trajectory for the past two years.
Also in the south-west, there’s rising activity in Warrnambool, with median prices up 14% in Koroit and 7% in Warrnambool, while in nearby Port Fairy the median house price has risen 27% to $620,000.
In the Central Goldfields, quarterly sales in Maryborough have increased in the past 12 months and its median house price has grown 21% to $225,000.
In the far east of the state, three locations in East Gippsland have rising demand – Bairnsdale, Eastwood and Lakes Entrance. Quarterly sales in Bairnsdale have grown from 50-55 12-18 months ago to 70-75 more recently. The median price in Lakes Entrance has grown 12% to $320,000 in the past year, while Metung is up 7% to $365,000.
Other markets with growing signs of uplift include Shepparton, Wangaratta and Wodonga. 
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
<a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a>
twitter.com/hotspotting
</body></html>

terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Regional Victorian leads the nation in house price growth: Hotspotting's Terry Ryder

<html><body>
The December quarter saw a drop in Metropolitan Melbourne’s median house price of 3.7 per cent to $796,500 while Regional Victoria’s went up by 2.5 per cent to $411,000.
Regional Victoria’s property market was the top performer in the 2018 calendar year, with a 5.5 per cent annual increase in the median house price to $400,000 (up from $379,000) and annual increases of more than 20 per cent in the top five towns.   The 2.5 per cent regional increase in the median house price for the December quarter was the second strongest for the year, in contrast to Metropolitan Melbourne which had its weakest quarter.
The Real Estate Institute of Victoria’s latest data reveals that greater Melbourne’s median house price increased 1.4 per cent to $826,500 (from $815,000) and the unit price increased 1.8 per cent to $597,000 (from $586,500) in the 2018 calendar year.   REIV President Robyn Waters said that despite low confidence, sluggish auction clearance rates and a 20 per cent reduction in residential property sales in the past 12 months, vendors are still getting "good prices" for their homes when they do sell.   “It might take you a bit longer to sell and you might have to put in a bit more effort, but the big picture is showing that house prices have increased slightly in Melbourne over the past 12 months,” Ms Waters said.   “Confidence is a major factor in the property market and this latest REIV data is showing that the market overall is steady, coming off an increase in the median house price of 13.2 per cent in 2017 which could not be sustained.   “The top 20 star suburbs of 2018 were all in the outer ring with most located in the expanding south east and Mornington Peninsula/Bayside areas; new transport infrastructure including Skyrail and the Monash Freeway widening are likely to have been a factor in this growth.”
Malvern down 20% to $2.1 million
Kew down 17% to $1,975,000
Toorak down 16% to $2.8 million
South Yarra down 16% to $1.6 million
Balwyn down 16% to $2 million
Brighton down 15% to $1.99 million
Source REIV December 2018 quarter   Ms Waters said properties are being tightly held in Inner Melbourne as vendors wait out this period while the markets in Outer Melbourne and Regional Victoria are stronger as buyers are inclined to snap up more affordable options.   “There is no doubt that the banks’ tighter lending conditions are contributing to this trend as are incentives for first homebuyers which encourage the purchase of affordable properties, more likely to be found in Outer Melbourne or Regional Victoria,” Ms Waters said.   “That said, there were a few inner suburbs – Malvern East, Thornbury and Hawthorn - that fared well in the last quarter of 2018 thanks to an increase in the number and value of sales from the September quarter. This is a good indication that confidence is starting to pick up in the prestige areas.   “The REIV expects Victoria’s property market to remain steady in the first half of 2019 as we await the outcome of the banking Royal Commission and Federal Election but things should begin to look up again in the second half of the year.”   “Our latest data showed some surprise quarterly increases in inland Victoria with Golden Point, Irymple and Daylesford all achieving an uplift of more than nine per cent.”
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/subscribe" target="_blank"><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/2019/1/1/Strip%20ad%20keep%20up%20in%202019.jpg" alt=""></a>   The REIV claimed its property data is the most accurate and up-to-date in Victoria, collated and submitted directly by those working at the coalface.   "As the State’s peak body for real estate agents, with around 80 per cent of agencies being valued members, the REIV is uniquely placed to access this raw data which is not subject to interpretation, speculation, assumptions or third-party sources," Robyn Waters said.
Other data showed a deeper decline throughout 2018, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">including the ABS</a>.
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Metropolitan Melbourne December 2018 quarter saw property prices decline, but Outer Melbourne and Regional Victoria still rising: REIV

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
While mainstream media obsesses over the inevitable downturn in the major markets in Sydney and Melbourne, somehow turning that into a national crisis, the rest of the nation is overlooked, especially regional Australia.
This is a shame for property investors because, right now, many of the best opportunities to buy well for future growth and good rental returns are in regional Australia.
While media’s focus remains firmly on the capital cities, the reality is that the strongest price growth in the past year has been recorded in regional centres.
The best-performing markets this year, based on our analysis of all the research, have been Geelong in Victoria, the towns of Cardinia Shire just outside Melbourne, the NSW Central Coast and the Newcastle region (pictured above).
It’s significant that while the average price outcome for the capital cities is a negative figure, dragged down by Sydney’s decline, the result for regional Australia is positive. This is according to latest data from CoreLogic, which says that the average total return for regional Australia is 6.2%, compared to -0.6% for the combined capital cities.
While four of the eight capital cities have price levels lower than a year ago (according to CoreLogic - other sources disagree), five of the six major state regional markets have prices higher than 12 months ago.
The latest figures from SQM Research have annual price for the capital cities (the average for the eight capitals) slightly in the negative, but the national average including the regions is solidly in the positive.
Returns are better in the regions: yields in the capital cities average 3.5%, while the regions average 5% (CoreLogic figures).
And, of course, the prices are much more affordable: the median dwelling price for the cities is $643,000, compared to $368,000 in the regional areas.
Looking forward, the markets I see as having the best potential for upside for investors include locations like Ballarat and Bendigo in Victoria, the Hunter Region of NSW and the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, with recovering Townsville another market likely to provide great value and potential for future growth.
I note that the latest McGrath Report puts forward the view that regional property markets are the “new black’’ in residential real estate.
The report says leading regional hubs like the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Geelong and Newcastle are undergoing significant price growth on the back of strong demand.
It suggests improved infrastructure has made commuting times faster between regional areas and capital cities - and when coupled with the NBN rollout making access to technology better, these regions have become even more appealing to buyers.
“Massive infrastructure investment across Australia is also boosting employment in regional centres,’’ the report says.
Most investors overlook the regions, believing that all the economic and property growth potential lies in the capital cities. It simply isn’t so.
To increase awareness of the potential in our regional areas, consider what Jack Archer, chief executive of the Regional Australia Institute, said in a recent newspaper column:
“Many believe one of the problems with plans to decentralise our population is too few jobs in rural and regional Australia. Not true. Permanent skilled and unskilled migrants are needed in many areas.
“And simple reforms to immigration policy with support from rural communities to settle new permanent migrants will help take pressure off major cities.”
He notes Federal Government moves to channel jobseekers into regional work and the possibility of a five-year regional visa to connect migrants with permanent regional jobs.
Data from the Federal Government’s Internet Vacancy Index shows why new permanent migration to regions is critical. In July there were 46,000 job vacancies in regional Australia. This is up 23% from February 2016. Capital city vacancies rose only 12%.
Archer says: “This need is not about temporary farm work. Today’s vacancies are a mix of high-skill and low-skill jobs — everything from labouring, to sales, trades and professions. In the Pilbara, there are about 1,600 vacancies including 553 trades (automotive), 332 professionals (engineering and health), 238 machinery operators, 155 labourers and 128 clerical staff.”
Australia has many strong, diverse regional economies supporting property markets which are affordable, have much better yields than the cities and have strong potential for capital growth.
That’s why I see buying in good regional cities as a win-win-win scenario.
John McGrath recently said regional is the new black, rivalling the likes of Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne with their new improved lifestyle, population growth and growing economy's.
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
<a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a>
twitter.com/hotspotting
</body></html>

It's time to focus on regional city property markets: Hotspotting's Terry Ryder

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
As reported in the latest CoreLogic home value index results, the national property market slowdown is having a wider impact with regional dwelling value growth experiencing the flow-on effect.
I examined how values have changed over the past 12 months outside of the capital cities.
Overall, regional dwelling values recorded a 1.6% capital gain over the twelve months ending August 2018.
Although values have still increased over the past year, the pace of capitals has been slowing and the 1.6% increase is the slowest annual growth rate since September 2013.
Over the past year, dwelling values have increased across the non-capital city markets of every state except Western Australia (-4.4%).
In regional NSW (+1.4%) value growth is the slowest it has been since April 2013 while in regional Tas (+8.0%) annual growth is the strongest it has been since March 2010.
Drilling down, the sub-regions highlight the diversity of property market conditions across the broad regional areas of Australia.
Of the 42 regional SA4 regions, 24 recorded an increase in dwelling values over the past year with the remaining 18 recording a fall.
Geelong (11.8%) was the only region to record double-digit growth while Tasmania’s South East (9.9%) and Launceston / North East Tasmania (9.3%) were the only two others to record growth in excess of 7.5%.
Of those regions that have recorded growth over the year, nine are in NSW, five are in VIC, three are in QLD, two are in SA, one is in WA, three are in TAS and one is in NT.
Central Queensland (-7.7%) had recorded the largest value fall over the year followed by Bunbury I WA and Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday (both 5.4%).
Unsurprisingly, WA along with Qld, dominates the list of regional areas in which values have fallen the most over the past year.
In general terms, the regions linked to the resources sector have continued to record value falls over the past year while lifestyle markets and those close to capital cities have recorded increases.
The main exceptions are Mid North Coast and Illawarra, which are slowing as Sydney slows and Toowoomba just to the west of Brisbane.
On a quarterly basis, the number of regions recording value falls is larger than the number recording a fall over the year, indicating a worsening in regional housing market conditions over recent months.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/9/13/Tim%20CL%20PP.JPG" alt=""><img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/9/13/Tim%20CL%20PP%202.JPG" alt="" width="635" height="610">
Tim Lawless is the head of research at CoreLogic
</body></html>

tlawless-5VLUrbAk9s

How the shift in dwelling values have affected regional areas of Australia: Tim Lawless

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
We check-in on the regional areas of the country and look at how values have increased over the past year and where they sit relative to previous peaks.
Over the 12 months to April 2018, dwelling values across the combined regional markets have increased by 2.4% compared to a -0.3% fall in values across the combined capital cities.  Although values in regional areas are continuing to rise, the rate of annual growth has slowed from a recent peak of 6.4% in June 2017, although the rolling quarterly rate of growth has shown an accelerating trend over the past six months.
Based on the ‘Statistical Area level 4’ (SA4) geography, there are 42 regions across Australia outside of the capital cities.  Of these 42 regions, 25 have recorded an increase in dwelling values over the past year while the remaining 17 have recorded falls.  Each SA4 region in Western Australia recorded a fall in values over the past year while all of the regional areas of Tasmania and the Northern Territory saw values increase over the past year.
Change in values across regional SA4 markets as at April 2018
<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/2018/6/4/REGIONAL%20.jpg" alt="">
Geelong recorded the greatest increase in values across regional Australia over the past year with values rising by 9.8%.  At the other end of the scale, the Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday region of Queensland recorded the greatest value falls, down -9.4%. Generally speaking, values in regional Australia are growing quickest in those regions relatively close to major capital cities while weakness persists in those regions linked to the mining and resources sector.  While dwelling values are lower in most mining related areas over the past twelve months, many areas have seen a noticeable improvement in the rate of decline relative to previous years.
While regional dwelling values are continuing to climb, albeit at a slower pace, values across a number of these markets remain below their historic peaks.  Of the 42 regions, only 16 regions have dwelling values that are currently at historic high levels.  The Outback (North) region of Western Australia has dwelling values that are currently furthest away from the previous peak level, down -59.6% from October 2012 when values hit a record high.    Focusing on those regions in which values remain below their peak, regions linked to the mining and resources sector typically have current dwelling values which are furthest away from their peak.  Seven SA4 regions across the country currently have values which are down at least 20% from their peak and all of them, except Bunbury in Western Australia, are directly linked to the mining and resources sector. Each of these seven regions have continued to record a decline in dwelling values over the past year.  Although many of these regions are showing signs they are beginning to recover, it will likely be a long way back to their previous historic peaks.
Although regional markets are continuing broadly to see dwelling values increase, the rate of growth has slowed in a number of major regions.  In fact, 12 months ago Illawarra was the best performing regional market for value growth with values 17.4% higher over the year compared to growth of just 2.7% over the past 12 months.  While no regional market recorded annual growth in excess of 10% over the past year, four regions had a year ago (Illawarra, Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven, Richmond-Tweed and Geelong).  Only 13 of the 42 regional markets have recorded stronger value growth over the past 12 months compared to the previous 12 months.  
While value growth is anticipated to remain stronger in regional markets than in capital cities over the coming year, it is expected that those regions close to Sydney in particular, will continue to experience a slowdown in their rate of value growth as interstate migration outflows trend higher and jobs growth becomes more broadly spread outside of New South Wales and Victoria.  Regional markets nearby to Melbourne, Hobart and Brisbane are the most likely to experience an uptick in value growth thanks to strong migration flows and more affordable housing costs.  Additionally, lifestyle markets are well positioned to see growing demand from cashed up baby boomers who have seen a substantial wealth injection from housing value growth in Sydney and Melbourne. 
CAMERON KUSHER is head of research for CoreLogic. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/about/">here</a>.
</body></html>

Geelong ranks the strongest regional housing growth market: CoreLogic's Cameron Kusher

<html><body>
Investors tend to under-rate regional Australia. Among the many myths that clutter up the minds of typical investors is the one suggesting that capital cities always out-perform regional markets.
There’s plenty of evidence disproving that notion, but it’s a foolish concept anyway because it’s usually based on media reports of generalised data.
The passion of research firms and journalists to reduce growth to a single figure for major cities or indeed the entire nation is a frequent source of misinformation. 
These numbers sometimes suggest that capital cities are growing faster than the regions, but such data is useless information because within a generally unflattering regional overview (dragged down by struggling resources-related towns) may be individual locations which are doing very well.
But right now, the generalised numbers from CoreLogic have the regions outperforming the capital cities on overall growth.
That does not surprise me because most of the standout locations on price growth in the past 12 months are regional areas.
Newcastle has been one of the nation’s outstanding growth markets recently and some of the regional centres close to Melbourne, including Geelong and the towns of Cardinia Shire, are experiencing exceptional growth. Some suburbs and towns in these areas have increased more than 20% - and a few are above 30%.
The only capital city locations that can challenge them are some of the outer-ring areas of Melbourne, like the suburbs of Wyndham City down near Geelong.
Perhaps more important than these short-term results is a look at recent history, which shows that some of the outstanding growth spurts in Australia in the past 20 years have occurred in regional areas.
According to a recent analysis, the single biggest five-year growth spurt for house prices occurred in Regional Western Australia in the five years to 2008 (prices overall rose 121%). This was when regional centres like Port Hedland and Karratha were being pumped up by the massive investment boom in the resources sector.
Also during that period Regional Tasmania grew 89% and Regional Queensland was up almost 70%.
Another of the outstanding growth periods was achieved by Regional NSW in the five years to 2003, when prices grew an average of 84%, better than any of the capital cities during that boom time (the last time Australia had a genuine nationwide boom).
Also at that time, Regional Victoria prices increased 66% on average.
The No.1 growth area in the five years to 2013 was Regional Northern Territory, which rose 38% at a time when price growth was subdued in most parts of the nation.
Most of the regional growth performances mentioned above put Sydney’s recent five-year boom (prices up 64%, according to these figures) in the shade.
There’s enough juice in those numbers to consider that perhaps the regions have something to offer.
And according to Propertyology’s Simon Pressley, one of the best-researched analysts in the nation, regional Australia is likely to lead over the next five years.
“The best performing markets will be throughout regional Australia — there will be some that will perform exceptionally well,” Pressley says. 
He predicts the markets that will rise in the near future are those that he refers to as “regional hubs”. These are areas with a diversified economic base as opposed to one-industry towns — a “mini capital city”.
“There are a number of regional cities that actually play the role of a mini capital city and they service the smaller towns that might have a population of 5,000 to 10,000. There could be half a dozen or a dozen within a region.
“They’ve got all the essential infrastructure that a capital city has got and a diverse economy. It’s just a smaller scale of it, and literally there would be 30 of those locations. They’re in every state.” 
I wholeheartedly agree. Right now the ones I like include Ballarat, the Hunter Region and Townsville, but there are many others.
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
<a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a>
twitter.com/hotspotting
</body></html>

Newcastle one of nation's strongest growth areas as regional outperforms capitals

<html><body>
Trends across the March quarter showed that capital city home values were 0.9% lower over the March quarter, while values across the regional markets tracked 1.1% higher.
Regional markets are now consistently outperforming the combined capitals, according to CoreLogic head of research Tim Lawless. 
<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/2018/4/3/CORELOGIC%20DWELLING%20VALUES%20.jpg" alt="">
“The stronger combined regional markets performance continues a trend that began to emerge in October last year where regional housing markets showed an overall improvement in the pace of capital gains while the combined capitals trend softened,” Lawless said.
<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/2018/4/3/CORELOGIC%20COMBINED%20CAPITALS%20.jpg" alt="">
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Regional markets are now consistently outperforming the combined capitals

<html><body>
Regional WA’s median house price increased 2.9% during the December 2017 quarter, outperforming the Perth metro region.
REIWA President Hayden Groves said eight regional centres experienced positive median house price growth, with Karratha the top performer with a 13.5% improvement.
Busselton, Albany and Esperance also recorded strong price growth, lifting 9.8%, 7.2% and 6.3% respectively.
“Pleasingly, house prices improved across the board, with centres both north and south of Perth showing positive growth,” Groves said.
Kalgoorlie/Boulder, Northam and Port Hedland were the only regions to record declines.
“After recording a significant 19.5% increase in median house price in the September quarter, Port Hedland’s median house price had a minor adjustment in the December quarter,” Groves said. 
<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/2018/2/13/REIWA.jpg" alt="">
There were 1,191 house sales across regional WA in the December 2017 quarter with overall house sales declining in the December quarter.
REIWA data shows sales activity in Northam, Karratha and Esperance increased, while volumes in Busselton and Bunbury were stable.
“With the exception of Northam, these regional centres all saw their median house price improve as well,” Groves said.
"After a challenging couple of years, Karratha, Esperance, Busselton and Bunbury are exhibiting strong signs they are starting to recover.”
It was 10 days quicker to sell a property in regional WA during the December 2017 quarter than it was in the September 2017 quarter, an overall improvement in selling times experienced in six regional centres.
The average time to sell in Kalgoorlie/Boulder reduced by 36 days in the December quarter, while Busselton decreased by 24 days and Mandurah/Murray by 15 days.
Port Hedland, Bunbury, and Karratha also experienced reductions in average selling days.
</body></html>

Regional WA outperforms Perth for price growth in latest quarter

<html><body>
Regional areas are out-performing their capital cities in the eastern states. 
My research for the new Summer edition of The Price Predictor Index finds that Regional NSW has more growth markets than Sydney, Regional Queensland is out-performing Brisbane and Regional Victoria has more upwardly-mobile markets than Melbourne. 
Regional NSW is now the leading market jurisdiction in Australia. It has more growth markets than anywhere else in the nation. The Newcastle region and the Central Coast are the stand-out precincts, but there are strong markets right throughout Regional NSW. 
There are some strong growth markets also in the regional areas of Victoria (led by Geelong and Ballarat) and Queensland (the Sunshine Coast and Cairns).
The significant thing about this is that it highlights the great diversity of property markets around Australia – and that while high-profile markets like Sydney are no longer pumping, there are many other places where sales and prices are strong – and others that are just starting their run.
Economists create confusion for consumers by discussing Australia as a single market. But there are major differences among the various capital cities (the performance of Canberra has been quite different to that of Sydney, while Perth has been opposite to Melbourne). 
Markets move in cycles but there is not always a single situation for a major city. As we have seen with both Sydney and Melbourne in recent years, a boom cycle often starts in the inner-city and over a period of perhaps three years ripples out from the centre. 
Part of the way through the boom phase, the city’s Middle Ring suburbs will be the most active, with the strongest price growth. Late in the cycle it will be the affordable Outer Ring locations that are strongest. 
We are currently as that point with the two biggest cities: the LGAs of Hume and Wyndham City are the leaders in Melbourne, while the Camden LGA in the far south-west is the stand-out market in Sydney. 
In terms of sales volume in Melbourne, upmarket Hawthorn peaked in late 2013/early 2014; middle market areas like Blackburn and Clayton peaked in late 2014/early 2015 while outer ring locations such as Cranbourne and Broadmeadows hit the high points in 2017.
There are not only major variations of performance within individual cities - but a single municipality within a major city can have diversified markets. 
The Price Predictor Index report shows that the Northern Beaches LGA in Sydney has one growth suburb, nine plateau suburbs (sales have levelled off below the peak), one consistency suburb and one danger suburb (serious decline in sales activity). 
The City of Sydney has one rising suburb, eight plateau ones, two consistency ones and five classified as danger markets. 
This also reinforces a central message: that local conditions dictate property markets, not national factors like interest rates or constraints imposed by regulators.
Another highlight of the report is that locations that have previously featured in the Dirty Dozen section (danger markets to avoid) are now showing up as growth markets. 
Primarily these are regional centres strongly impacted by the resources sector. Three striking examples are Dalby in Queensland, Port Hedland in Western Australia and Singleton in NSW.
These markets suffered downturns when a rise in supply coincided with the pause in the resources boom, which impacted on housing demand. Now these places are recovering. 
Singleton and Singleton Heights combined have had quarterly sales of 36, 42, 48, 43, 58, 55, 58 and 93 over the past two years, a pattern that charts the recent recovery.
Other examples of this trend include Emerald, Moranbah and Mackay in Queensland; Muswellbrook and Mudgee in NSW; and Karratha in WA. 
Despite the signs of improvement, investors should remain cautious of such markets because of their volatile and high-risk nature. But it’s worth noting that even the most devastated markets recover eventually and that a long-term view is needed when buying in such places. They’re not for the feeble-hearted.
 
Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
<a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a>
twitter.com/hotspotting
</body></html>

Regional Markets

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Regional Markets

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News