Joel Robinson

Sydney's top 15 new apartments developments set to launch in 2026

Developer-builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dasco-australia">DASCO</a> has pushed beyond the now-standard inclusions of rooftop pools and landscaped podiums at its recently launched new Epping project, Senso.

It has laid out over 4,000 sqm of resident-only amenity in a move designed to compete directly with low-density housing on livability, not just density. The result is a development that supports genuine daily use through purposeful spaces distributed across its five-building, 479-apartment precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4396]

Two rooftop pools form the anchor of Senso. One is a 27-metre lap pool adjoining a heated spa, designed for everyday fitness rather than just summer leisure. The second sits on a lower podium, allowing different buildings to share in vertical access and reducing crowding during peak times.

It is the secondary spaces that start to distinguish Senso from other large-scale suburban projects. A rooftop cinema is integrated into a landscaped terrace, offering open-air screenings with natural ventilation and passive cooling.&nbsp;

The inclusion of a “sensory walk”, an elevated boardwalk that threads through the site, suggests a rare investment in non-commercial, non-essential amenity: space for quiet movement that doesn’t double as access or traffic circulation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4402]

The gym and wellness centre, often relegated to a small ground-floor room in many builds, takes on more substance here. Residents have access to a fully equipped gym, as well as outdoor yoga areas and meditative zones that integrate greenery and natural light.&nbsp;

The Club Lounge is similarly designed to support multiple use cases, with a private dining terrace, kitchenette, workspace, and lockable wine storage. These aren’t superficial additions; their scale and spatial allocation indicate serious intent for frequent resident use.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4391]

Importantly, Senso’s amenities are embedded within a site that spans more than 10,000 sqm, allowing for better separation between spaces and reduced noise spillover, a critical but often overlooked factor in high-density developments. This spatial generosity also enables multiple alfresco kitchens and communal terraces without compromising individual privacy or usable space.

While many developments make claims about lifestyle, few back it with this level of built infrastructure. Senso’s mix of dedicated fitness, wellness, social and passive green spaces suggests a conscious response to the post-pandemic shift in housing expectations, especially among owner-occupiers.&nbsp;

DASCO is one of several leading developers who have taken out Resilience Insurance's Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing buyers with a 10-year structural and waterproofing warranty, and giving them the ultimate peace of mind.

Senso is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

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Staff Writer

The outdoor amenities elevating life at Senso, Epping

Following the proposal by the Minns Labor Government to rezone Parramatta Road to create up to 8,000 new homes, prominent developer Ceerose has gone to the NSW Gov to increase the density of its new mixed-use residential building in Leichhardt.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/ceerose">Ceerose</a>, founded by Edward Doueihi nearly three decades ago, has filed plans for 154 apartments above ground-floor retail at 307-315 Parramatta Road, a key corner site near Norton Street, the main high street strip in Leichhardt.

It's an upsize from the previously approved scheme of 63 apartments across a seven-storey building.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ba1ae75b-5f08-43fb-b8d5-3de6d9f6ef71" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.39%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=yA3hBBLPH4ev7MsAE0_hieXeqiFqBUb7" />

The project is being advanced through the State Significant Development (SSD) pathway, with concurrent rezoning sought to facilitate the proposal. The 10-storey development would rise over a four-level basement and deliver two retail tenancies, one a larger-format offering and the other a smaller “hole in the wall” space, addressing the Parramatta Road frontage. 21 of the apartments are dedicated as affordable housing.

According to the Urban Design Report by Architecture AND, the scheme includes a podium and tower configuration, with a fine-grain, two-storey parapet street wall that references the traditional shopfront rhythm along the corridor. “An elegant tower form is proposed, combined with a characterful two storey frontage... articulating it as two related buildings, providing consistency with the rhythm and grain of Parramatta Road,” the report notes.

The residential component is split across two slender towers set back from the street edge, a design move aimed at preserving solar access and reducing perceived bulk. This massing strategy also seeks to improve residential amenity by focusing scale toward the quieter northern interface, away from Parramatta Road’s noise and pollution.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="347f2f8f-5d36-4388-b40a-2e77380b9c19" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.02%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=xvyUE2ujT1lzivXTo.mHBJFF4SmfgLtz" />

Architecture AND has worked with Ceerose on previous Inner West projects, and cites a deep familiarity with the local character. Their design draws heavily on context, heritage, and sunlight access considerations, and engages with the Inner West Council’s “Our Fairer Future” strategic planning framework.

The site spans 2,712 sqm and is located near key intersections with Catherine Street, Hay Street, and Redmond Street. It adjoins a public carpark to the north and is within walking distance of Stanmore and Petersham stations. It is also flagged in state and local planning strategies, including the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, as a suitable candidate for increased density.

Ceerose recently completed The Alex Collective on McEvoy Street in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay.

The Parramatta Road corridor is coming to life with the proposed rezoning which is serviced by a significant number of bus, light rail and train routes.

Deicorp is progressing with its $1.8 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kings-bay-village-five-dock-53-75-queens-road-five-dock-nsw-2046">Kings Bay Village</a> precinct on Parramatta Road in Five Dock, as is <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/toga-to-push-on-with-five-dock-mixed-use-masterplan">TOGA further down the street</a>. Those two projects alone will bring nearly 2,000 new homes to Parramatta Road.

First look: Ceerose plots mixed-use Leichhardt development on Parramatta Road

North Sydney's landmark 'SBS Building' on Alfred Street is set to be demolished to make way for a new mixed-use residential tower in the booming North Sydney.

Commercial property group FiveX is behind the plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/275-alfred-street-north-north-sydney-nsw-2060">39-storey tower</a>, the latest project to advance under the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

They are proposing 184 apartments above retail spaces, which will replace the existing 20-storey commercial building. FiveX was set up more than five decades ago by Joshua and Marko Berger. It is currently led by Joshua's son Lesli.&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower at 275 Alfred Street, North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2efa0980-53fa-4cca-9f9e-9c3c845d4746" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29%20%281%29_0.png?VersionId=y_YyPMq3NQLfYRs84pP4os9UgWiMLp75" />

According to the Architectural Design Report by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fjc-studio">FJC Studio</a>, the slender tower form has been deliberately designed to respect the site's transitional setting at the southern gateway to the North Sydney CBD, where high-rise towers give way to lower-scale residential precincts.

"The slender tower form and articulated podium establish a respectful relationship with nearby heritage and low rise buildings, including the Whaling Road Heritage Conservation Area,” the architecture firm noted, adding that the tower “completes a missing link in the urban fabric” while enhancing the Alfred Street streetscape.

The proposed building will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with 15 percent of the gross residential floor area allocated as affordable housing. There is an agreement already in place that those apartments will be managed by Evolve Housing.

The project aligns with broader state housing objectives, including the National Housing Accord target of delivering 1.2 million new homes by 2029. The Scoping Report filed with the State Significant Development Application (SSDA) suggests the site "presents no impediments to rapid delivery,” with construction able to commence within 12 months of receiving consent.

North Sydney has been one of the most popular suburbs in Sydney for new and off the plan apartment development, but hasn't had the supply to keep up with demand, until recently.

AURA by Aqualand was, for a long time, the only off the plan apartment building on the market. That completed last year, and has sold the majority of its 386 luxury apartments. Recently ALAND launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-173-179-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> on the same street, selling over $100 million within just a few hours of its launch, while developer CASA also launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-mclaren-north-sydney-45-mclaren-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The McLaren</a>&nbsp;in the same precinct.

First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower in booming North Sydney

Kokoda Property Group has announced the Sydney-based Versatile Construction as the builder for its landmark $1.5 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a> precinct.

Construction of the 17,612 sqm site is scheduled to commence in December 2025 and is expected to be delivered in stages from 2028. Once complete, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a> will comprise 212 residences across four architecturally distinct buildings, alongside Brisbane’s first Kimpton Hotel, extensive retail, hospitality, and wellness amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139896 project_image_fid=295098]

Kokoda Property Group Founder and Managing Director, Mark Stevens, said appointing Versatile Construction marks a significant milestone for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a>.

“Partnering with Versatile Construction gives us confidence in delivering a precinct that sets a new benchmark for luxury living, curated experiences and vibrant riverfront activation," Stevens said.

"Together, we will bring the vision for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a> to life, creating a destination that residents and visitors will enjoy for generations."

Throughout the construction phase, more than 2,000 jobs will be created, supporting hundreds of local contractors and suppliers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139896 project_image_fid=352274]

Marco Fahd, Chairman &amp; CEO at Versatile Group, said the company is looking forward to&nbsp;expanding their footprint in the state, taking on their inaugural project in Brisbane.

"We are proud of the unwavering commitment our team of experts have to quality and certainty in delivery and are excited to work with Kokoda to bring their vision for this unique project to life," Fahd says.

Sales reached $285 million on the launch of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a>, with sales momentum continuing to "exceed all expectations."

Stevens says the overwhelming response from buyers validated the group’s vision for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a>.

“The demand for a luxury product in this enclave has been extraordinary, we’ve never seen anything like it before. It reinforces everything we’re doing around quality, design, and creating genuine lifestyle precincts. Buyers are recognising the enduring value of Brisbane’s riverfront and are responding to the opportunity to live within a world-class destination that celebrates both place and lifestyle.”

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=139896]

Kokoda appoints builder for $1.5 billion Teneriffe Banks waterfront precinct

Reinsw

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Juwai chairman Georg Chmiel chats with REINSW present and Laing+Simmons managing director Leanne Pilkington on women in the real estate industry.
You may have noticed that most senior executives in the real estate industry are men. Leanne Pilkington, however, is a woman.
And Pilkington is a figure of power in the industry. On top of her ongoing role as the Managing Director of Laing+Simmons, she has also just started a two-year term as the President of the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales. 
Pilkington has come a long way since her first job, as a 12-year old weekend receptionist in her parents’ real estate agencies in the Hills District of Sydney. She used to get into regular screaming matches at the office with her father. Now, it’s safe to say she seldom has to raise her voice to get what she wants.
I turned to Pilkington to find out more about the revolutions that are about to change the way you buy and sell real estate. My talk with her is the latest in my continuing series of interviews for the Property Observer.
Put the Women in Charge
But first, I asked Pilkington a provocative question. What if women ran real estate, and what if men mostly held the lower-level jobs like receptionist and personal assistant?
“The admin work wouldn’t get done, that’s for sure,” she laughed. Then, getting more serious, “I think we would have a much more empathetic industry. I think it would be a happier place to be, quite frankly.”
“Women are more focused on the relationship and men on getting the deal done. You shouldn’t close a deal at the expense of the relationship.” 
It’s worth noting that the top Laing+Simmons salesperson is a woman. It’s easy to imagine a relationship-focused industry resulting in investors buying and holding more property over the long term.
Taking Real Estate Out of Social Media
It is unlikely that men will suddenly step down from all the senior positions in the real estate world. And Pilkington isn’t holding her breath. She believes other changes are already under way that will soon revolutionize your experience as a vendor or buyer.
Whether you’re a Generation X Facebook addict or Gen Y Instagram photo-sharing fiend, you might be surprised by Pilkington’s first prediction. Some think real estate advertising will increasingly migrate to social media. Pilkington believes the opposite.
“I’m so tired of the ads I’m getting on Facebook and Instagram,” she says. “I just wonder how long it will be before there are so many unwanted messages on our social media feed that we turn them off.“
Anyone who has looked at property has likely seen their social media feed quickly filled up with agent photos, property ads, and other sponsored real estate content. What if your social media feed were free of real estate adds? Pilkington thinks that’s where we’re heading.
Giving Agents More Training Than Baristas
Pilkington’s second prediction for a real estate revolution involves the person everyone loves to hate: the real estate agent. As former CEO of LJ Hooker, I know that most agents are actually extremely professional and hard working. 
But Australians rank real estate agents as the third-most dishonest professionals in the country, according to a Roy Morgan poll reported in the Property Observer. Only car salespeople and advertising people fared worse.
Pilkington has a plan to change agents’ lowly reputation by changing the agents themselves.  
“At the moment, you need more education to become a barista making cappuccino than a real estate agent,” she said. Under the training reforms passed through Parliament in March, Pilkington expects that to change later this year. 
Under the new scheme, she says, “Before you get a license, you will need to have three years of experience.” She also hopes to make agents a recognized profession under the professional standards scheme. All told, “We will have fewer agents doing better work,” she says. She promises to release more information about this change soon.
Creating a Concierge Real Estate Experience
You will appreciate Pilkington’s third real estate revolution if you have ever stayed at a very, very nice hotel. I mean the kind of hotel where all the staff remember your name, your room preferences, and your past requests. The type of hotel that leaves a chocolate on your pillow and places a vase of your favorite flowers on the side table in your room.
“I would love to see it be a concierge experience,” says Pilkington, “I know all of the hurdles we will have to jump through to get there, but Laing+Simmons is focusing a great deal on this.
“In a perfect world, we would like Mrs. Smith to walk into an open home and for us to know that she also has a property under management with another office or a home for sale with another agent.
With a concierge experience, you as a buyer or vendor would get the best possible advice and most seamless service from the real estate professionals that work for you. Instead of being pestered by agents from several different offices, you could work with just one person.
The kind of information sharing that a concierge experience would require is not, let’s say, traditional in the real estate world. If Pilkington succeeds in creating a concierge model, the impact will be huge.
Advice for Property Buyers
Pilkington believes property buyers need to be realistic about where you will buy your first property. 
“When I got married and moved into my first property,” she recounted, “I sat on the back step and cried. I said to my husband, ’I don’t want to live here.’” Luckily for Pilkington, that first home ended being a joyous one, but it is telling that it was not exactly her dream home.
She also advises that you be prepared for the extra cost you will have to bear when interest rates go up. “Higher rates are coming. You need to factor that into whatever you are borrowing.”
Pilkington’s last piece of advice might be controversial. 
“Don’t get too many family members involved,” she says. “Too many people’s opinions will paralyze you.”
Rather than getting advice from all your friends and family, Pilkington suggests, “You’ve got to do your research, make a decision, and go forward with it.”
Georg Chmiel, the chairman of Juwai, a Chinese website for buyers of overseas property, was speaking to Leanne Pilkington in what will be a monthly insight into the leading minds of Australian property experts.
Last month he spoke to LJ Hooker agent Bill Malouf about the ins and out of the Sydney market.
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Georg Chmiel chats with REINSW president Leanne Pilkington on women in real estate

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EXPERT OBSERVER
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The Real Estate Institute of New South Wales (REINSW) has blasted the NSW Government’s decision to extend its rental moratorium saying the timing, which coincides with the end of the banks’ loan repayment waiver, will create a perfect storm and send many mums, dads and retirees broke. 
Contrary to the NSW Government’s obvious stereotyping, around 80 percent of landlords in New South Wales are mums and dads or self-funded retirees who are either paying off a single property investment, or depend on it for income. 
Now they are facing an even longer period of no income, more uncertainty and for many, financial ruin, he says. 
This is a case of logic being ignored, livelihoods being placed at unnecessary risk and, worryingly, a refusal to undertake the proper consultation. 
How are these mum and dad investors, many who have lost their jobs, going to cope? The banks have already made clear that the cold hard reality for many landlords is that they are going to have to sell their property to retire debt. The nest egg people have worked so hard to achieve, and have sacrificed so much for, will be lost. 
The Department of Fair Trading has informed the REINSW clearly that if even if a landlord has lost their job, if the hot water system breaks on their property, they have to find the money from somewhere to fix it. 
For the Minister to assert that the extension of the rental moratorium is in support of both tenants and landlords is grossly insulting. To date, the Government has provided the Tenants Union $13.5 million to assist tenants. Not one cent has been provided to assist landlords. It undermines the absolutely critical role landlords play in society: providing choices for people to have a roof over their heads. 
“n the end, tenants will suffer too. Fewer properties available for rent at this incredibly delicate economic time pushes more people onto the streets. 
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The REINSW calls for an urgent review of this decision, particularly in the absence of any research to suggest the extension of the moratorium is an appropriate, let alone necessary, move.
The NSW Government’s failure to explain the rationale for the extended rent-free period is a critical concern, especially given the current state of eased restrictions in New South Wales as well as the recent decrease in the national unemployment rate to 6.8 per cent. 
The REINSW has repeatedly sought to consult with the Department of Fair Trading and the Minister to explain the impacts of this measure on the state’s landlords and tenants but our efforts, despite the promises made, have been met with a closed door. 
Instead, the State’s largest real estate industry body, like the rest of the community, is left to process the recklessness of a decision made with no industry consultation, no basis in data and with clearly no understanding of the broader industry and market ramifications. 
We expected better from the NSW Government.
Tim McKibbin is the chief executive officer at REINSW. 
 
 
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REINSW blast NSW government decision to extend rental moratorium

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Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has announced the 2020-21 NSW Budget will be handed down on Tuesday, November 17, 2020.
The Budget was deferred in March following a recommendation by the National Cabinet of Commonwealth, State and Territory leaders.
“Our focus over the last six months has been on protecting the lives of the people of NSW during this pandemic as well as sustaining their livelihoods,” Mr Perrottet said. 
 “Our priority in recovery is supporting jobs, jobs and more jobs and the 2020-21 Budget will reflect that.”
Confirmation of the Budget date comes as the NSW Government’s commitment to COVID-19 health and economic support measures approaches $16 billion. 
 “NSW is the engine-room for the Australian economy and we’ll light the way out of these unprecedented times.”  
“We look forward to delivering for the people of NSW once again.”
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

March 2020 NSW Budget now scheduled for November

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A quarrel has erupted between the state’s peak estate agent organisation and the NSW government over the safety of deposits in trust funds following property sales.
The Real Estate Institute of New South Wales has accused the NSW Fair Trading department of “gross negligence” involving the audit requirements of trust accounts following the state’s largest fraud case.
They have demanded a parliamentary inquiry.
The Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Matt Kean said it was wrong for the REINSW to say there was had been any legislation which had left consumers exposed, adding that the REINSW did not understand its members’ legal obligations.
“Auditors are required to lodge reports where they identify a financial irregularity,” he said.
Estate agents and solicitors must safeguard buyer deposits in trust funds after any property sale.
But in recent times more estate agents have illegally dipped into their client deposits, sometimes to help keep businesses afloat, or meet their gambling addiction or fund a lavish lifestyle.
The state government guarantees the safe keeping of deposits and offers capped compensation.
“Four years ago, Fair Trading made the decision to remove the obligation for real estate agents to lodge their annual trust account audits in what it claimed removed “red tape,” Mr McKibbin said.
“Removing the obligation to lodge the audit with Fair Trading meant Fair Trading no longer had the administrative burden of reading the audit reports.”
It had created the situation of compensations now costing taxpayers “millions of dollars,” Mr McKibbin said.
A Maroubra real estate agent was sentenced earlier this month to an intensive correction order, which will see him perform 400 hours of community service work, after being found guilty of eight trust account withdrawals totalling more than $425,000 over an eight month period in 2014.
The issue flared when victims of a 2018 estate agency collapse initially found they would not be full compensated because the alleged fraud exceeded the maximum compensation offered by the Property Services Compensation Fund, which is funded by the real estate sector through a levy.
A seller was told a missing $560,000 deposit would not be fully compensated as it exceeded the $500,000 maximum compensation, and the 120 other clients who were owed a $3.6 million total found themselves being told they would share the $2 million compensation limit that applied for any one agency collapse.
McKibbon said Fair Trading has subsequently agreed to full compensation after lobbying by the institute.
“We expressed the view that the consumer’s loss in this case was in a large part attributable to Fair Trading and to refuse to compensate them was unconscionable. 
“Pleasingly we have received assurances from Fair Trading that they will now fully compensate.
“But it is the NSW tax payer that has come to the rescue.
“REINSW seeks to work cooperatively and constructively with a competent regulator and minister.
“Sadly neither currently exist,” McKibbin said.
Mr Kean said there were “serious questions over whether the REINSW was fit and proper to provide continuing professional development.”
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

REINSW accuse NSW Fair Trading of gross negligence in trust fund bust up

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
Reforms to Stamp Duty announced by the NSW Government are an insult to those people trying to purchase a home in NSW.
The Treasurer’s statement on November 5 provides no genuine relief to home buyers, it’s nothing more than hype and bluster in the lead up to the election, according to Real Estate Institute of NSW.
The State Government’s intention to index Stamp Duty by reference to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) starting from 1 July 2019 without adjusting the tax brackets is a real sleight of hand.
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has acknowledged that the stamp duty rates have not been amended since they were introduced in 1986 and then says that he is going to apply indexation (CPI) to the set of tax brackets that are 32 years out of date!
In 1986 the Sydney median house price was $93,576 and the median unit price was $86,109. At that time the overwhelming amount of property transactions did not attract the higher rates of tax.
Now with the Sydney median house price at $956,000 and the median unit price at $730,000 the overwhelming amount of transactions do attract the higher rates of tax.
By sitting on their hands for 32 years successive Governments have unconscionably profited at the expense of the home buyers including the most vulnerable - first home buyers.
The first tax bracket tops out at, $14,000. I ask rhetorically when was the last time you heard of someone buying a house for $14,000?
Yes, indexing is good, and the Treasury says had it been introduced 15 years ago then it would be better now - I agree. In fact if it had of been done 32 years ago it would be even better and deliver a far more equitable outcome for the property consumer (see table below).
If the Government is serious about Stamp Duty reform it must adjust the brackets to reflect today’s median house price and then index it from there
To do anything other than that is delivering reform without substance and is just disingenuous political grandstanding.
The Government’s own published data sets out clearly the continuing decline in property transactions and consequential Stamp Duty revenue.
The irony? There is empirical evidence demonstrating that a reduction in the rate of tax will drive more additional transactions and consequently more revenue for Government.
Stamp Duty brackets - what they are and what they should be
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/12/REINSW%20table.JPG" alt="">
Tim McKibbin is the REINSW CEO 
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Stamp duty reforms are an insult: REINSW 

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The Real Estate Institute of New South Wales has accused the NSW Fair Trading department of putting little value on its opinions.
The REINSW chief executive Tim McKibbin has quit the department's industry forum which was established to consult on real estate reform.
McKibbin claimed Fair Trading had a “systemic lack of industry knowledge and misguided beliefs.”
He claimed a real estate reference group established in 2015 by former minister Victor Dominello was "an exercise in futility."
“They put us in a forum; that essentially gave us the impression we were being listened to and we were being worked with,” Mr McKibbin told Domain.
“I feel extremely conned and feel they essentially gave me some colouring-in pencils and told me to sit in the corner.
“We met quite regularly but we did not achieve really anything in three and a half years,” he said.
“[Fair Trading] come to these things with the view that they know what they’re doing and they don’t.
“They got us along and we had minutes and meetings and agendas, and we were completely ignored, so the risk of [now] being outside of the conversation is minuscule in my view.”
REINSW chief executive Tim McKibbin outburst comes <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/nsw-renters-set-to-see-biggest-shakeup-of-states-rental-laws-20180920-h15mq6-765151/">less than a week after </a>Innovation and Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean introduced rental reforms into State Parliament, which apparently caught the institute by surprise.
Mr Kean hit back at the criticism, saying he was disappointed with the REINSW’s decision.
“It’s disappointing REINSW have chosen not to provide a voice for their members in this important forum, but I welcome real estate agents to engage directly with NSW Fair Trading.”
Government sources alleged to Domain that the REINSW had been relentlessly trying to undermine Fair Trading so that it was removed as a regulator.
Shadow minister for innovation and better regulation Yasmin Catley was concerned by the move and said the institute’s resignation showed the minister and Fair Trading were not engaging with a key stakeholder effectively.
“If you don’t have the peak body at the table … you won’t deliver the key outcomes for consumers,” she said.
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Conned REINSW surrenders any influence with NSW State Government  

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Availability across the Sydney rental market remained relatively steady in July 2018, according to research from the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales.
REINSW Deputy President Brett Hunter said the July 2018 REINSW Vacancy Rate Survey  saw vacancy rates across the Sydney metropolitan at 2.8 per cent, a rise of 0.1 percentage points
“The vacancy rate fell 0.1 percentage points in both Middle and Inner Sydney at 2.9 per cent and 2.7 per cent respectively, while Outer Sydney bucked the trend rising 0.3 percentage points at 2.7 per cent.  “The Sydney vacancy rate we are seeing at the moment is in line with the winter seasonal trend,” Mr Hunter said.   
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/8/17/VACANCY%201.jpg" target="_blank">Click here to enlarge: </a>
<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/2018/8/17/VACANCY%201.jpg" alt=""> 
In the Hunter, vacancy rates fell 0.2 percentage points to 1.7 per cent, with Newcastle down 0.2 percentage points at 2.2 per cent. The Illawarra dropped 0.5 percentage points to 2.0 per cent with Wollongong down 0.3 percentage points to 2.0 per cent.  Across regional areas, Albury was up 0.1 percentage points at 1.5 per cent, while the Riverina and Central Coast were steady at 3.1 per cent and 2 per cent respectively. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/8/17/VACANCY%201.jpg" target="_blank">Click here to enlarge: </a>
<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/2018/8/17/VACANCY%202.jpg" alt=""> 
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Sydney rental market remains steady in winter seasonal trend: REINSW

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An actor hoping to break into auctioneering won the final of the 2018 REINSW Novice Auctioneers Competition last night.
REINSW President Leanne Pilkington said the Novice Auctioneers Competition raised more than $25,000 for suicide prevention awareness charity, R U OK. “The 2018 Novice Auctioneers competition was a great success with more than 30 auctioneers battling it out over the course of the event,” Ms Pilkington said.  “Winner, Oliver Burton, of Kensington, who took out the Inner West heat to gain entry into the final was polished, professional and well prepared,” Ms Pilkington 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/2018/6/29/actor-reinsw2.jpg" alt=""> Mr Burton, who graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2015 said he loves being in front of a crowd, keeping people’s attention and putting on a great show. “Being a freelance performer is a difficult gig and I was looking for a profession that makes use of my skills and training. I am thrilled by how welcoming the industry has been and am grateful for the advice that I have received during the competition.
“I am looking forward to beginning my auctioning career and am thankful for REINSW for creating an opportunity to introduce me to the industry,” he said.  The Novice Auctioneers Competition is an annual event for REINSW and is open to entrants over 16 who live in NSW who have not completed more than six auctions in the past 12 months or more than eight in their career. 
They must also have no more than six months experience as a livestock or chattel auctioneer.  
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Actor Oliver Burton takes out 2018 REINSW Novice Auctioneers Competition 

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
Stamp duty has remained unchanged in NSW for 32 years despite median house prices rising by 1181%.
When the current NSW Transfer Duty brackets were put into place in 1986 the median dwelling price, according to statistics from CoreLogic, was $80,675 compared to the current median house price of $1,033,892.
The government’s unwillingness to act on this is outrageous.
The numbers speak for themselves.
Median unit prices have also seen a similar increase with a rise of 841.80% from $80,331 to $756,557.
Consumers should be angry about this huge injustice and the government needs to start listening.
A full review must be undertaken and it must be undertaken now.
It was time for the NSW government to correct the punishing effects of Stamp Duty bracket creep. 
However, to date, Government has chosen to ignore the damage these outdated tax rates are causing.
The Government’s conduct in regard to this issue is nothing less than unconscionable. 
The current NSW Transfer Duty brackets (other than the top bracket for residential land over $3 million) have been in place for more than 30 years.  
The Second Reading to the 1986 Bill which on enactment increased NSW Transfer Duty rates and introduced the current base thresholds included the following statement: 
The increased rates for conveyances only affect properties worth more than $300,000 and thus will not affect the average home purchaser. 
Leanne Pilkington is the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales president.
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