Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Joel Robinson

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

First look: Inca eyes Mona Vale with State Significant DA for Dawn apartments

Seasoned Victorian apartment developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a> has logged more than $400 million in sales in its luxury apartment project Palmera Residences at Northcliffe on the Gold Coast.&nbsp;

Central Equity Director Karl Kutner said the sales result reflected a combination of location, product quality and delivery certainty with the project already under construction by building powerhouse Multiplex.&nbsp;

"Surpassing $400 million in sales since launch is a significant milestone and an outstanding endorsement of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera Residences</a>,” he said.&nbsp;

"We believe one of the key reasons for this strong result is the confidence purchasers have in knowing the project is under construction with Multiplex. Buyers are increasingly looking for certainty. They want to know that the project they commit to today will be delivered by an experienced team with a proven track record."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365782]

Kutner said it was clear there was still high demand for luxury projects that offered certainty of delivery.&nbsp;

“We are in a market where many residential developments have faced delays due to rising construction costs, labour shortages and financing challenges,” said Kutner.&nbsp;

"But having construction underway has provided our buyers with resounding confidence backed by more than 40 years of development delivery by Central Equity combined with construction by one of Australia's most respected construction companies."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365785]

Central Equity is one of Australia's most experienced privately-owned property developers. Over more than four decades, the company has delivered in excess of 85 residential developments including 10,000 apartments and many thousands of stand alone homes.&nbsp;

Located on Garfield Terrace at Northcliffe, between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, Palmera Residences occupies one of the Gold Coast's most sought after beachside locations. The development has been designed to appeal to owner occupiers seeking premium residences that combine generous living spaces and resort style amenities.&nbsp;

Palmera Residences will feature an exceptional collection of resort style amenities, including two swimming pools: a generously sized family pool with safe shallow zones for relaxed recreation, and a 20 metre lap pool positioned to maximise all day sunlight.&nbsp;

Residents will also enjoy exclusive access to wellness and recreational facilities including a magnesium pool, sauna, yoga studio, expansive fitted gymnasium, resident lounge, outdoor BBQ’s&nbsp;and indoor and outdoor dining areas, together with a dedicated concierge and luxurious hotel inspired entrance foyer.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365767]

A unique feature at Palmera Residences has been designed to enhance the Gold Coast lifestyle which includes both indoor and outdoor gymnasium facilities, together with thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor dining and entertaining areas. A corner café has also been incorporated to provide residents with a destination for their everyday needs.&nbsp;

Kutner said buyer demand had been broad based with purchasers attracted from interstate as well as throughout South East Queensland.&nbsp;

"We're seeing strong interest from owner occupiers, lifestyle buyers and people relocating to the Gold Coast. Many purchasers have been searching for a premium beachside residence where quality, design and delivery are equally important."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Kutner said the sales milestone was an important achievement, but the focus remained firmly on delivering an exceptional development.&nbsp;

"While reaching $400 million in sales is an important milestone, our priority remains delivering a project that exceeds purchaser expectations,” he said.&nbsp;

"Palmera Residences has been designed to become one of the Gold Coast's landmark residential addresses, and we look forward to welcoming our purchasers to their new homes."&nbsp;

There are a limited number of residences remaining in selected configurations with pricing from $2,950,000 to $8,950,000. Palmera Residences is also crowned by expansive penthouses with wrap around views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

Construction certainty and strong buyer demand drive major sales result for luxury Gold Coast development

Palmera Residences fly out the door as sales pass $400 million

National property developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/goldfields-group">Goldfields</a> has appointed BINAH as its construction partner for Quartet, its new Brisbane apartment development in the undersupplied suburb of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/milton-qld-4064">Milton</a>.

Located just two kilometres from the Brisbane CBD and moments from key 2032 Olympic precincts, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/quartet-milton-33-manning-street-milton-qld-4064">Quartet</a> will deliver 131 one, two, three, and four-bedroom apartments priced from $1 million to $4.2 million, combining elevated design with a wellness-focused lifestyle offering.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=368000]

Goldfields’ Chief Executive Officer, Lachlan Thompson, said the appointment of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/binah-constructions">BINAH</a> marked an important milestone for the project.&nbsp;

“Bringing BINAH on board as our construction partner will allow us to bring our vision for Quartet forward with a team that has a proven track record of delivering high-quality residential projects,” Thompson said.&nbsp;

“We’ve taken a considered approach to progressing the site because we wanted to deliver the whole package. Buyers ultimately back great developers, great projects and great builders, and with Quartet, we’ve made sure all three line up.

“People want certainty, they want to know the project will be built, that the homes will be delivered as promised, and that the developer stands behind the quality of what they create. That’s something Goldfields has built its reputation on over many years.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=367993]

BINAH’s Managing Director, Khalil Hafza, said the company was proud to be partnering with Goldfields to deliver Quartet.&nbsp;

“Quartet is an exciting project to bring to life, particularly given the level of detail in the residences and the extensive rooftop amenity planned for the building,” Mr Hafza said.&nbsp;

“Our focus is on delivering a high-quality build that brings that design vision to life and creates homes residents will enjoy for many years.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108736 project_image_fid=367999]

The facilities at Quartet have been feared towards the roof, with a&nbsp;25 metre lap pool, spa, sauna and cold plunge, and a communal barbecue area and alfresco.

Town planning was designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and brought to life by Melbourne-based architecture firm Cera Stribley.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/cera-stribley">Cera Stribley</a> Co-Founder and Managing Principal, Dom Cerantonio, said the project responds to both its riverside setting and Brisbane’s evolving urban character.&nbsp;

“Quartet has been designed to sit comfortably within its riverside context, offering a refined take on urban living through well-planned, generously proportioned residences that will stand the test of time,” Mr Cerantonio said.&nbsp;

“An emphasis on natural light, natural textures and carefully selected finishes from timber and marble to premium appliances, creates calm, considered interiors designed for comfort and long-term liveability.”&nbsp;

Construction of Quartet will commence in July 2026, with completion anticipated in Q4 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108736]

Construction to commence on 131-residence tower designed around wellness-focused living

Goldfields appoints BINAH for Quartet apartments in Milton

The first partnership between national developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis">Fortis</a> and Adelaide-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> has made a strong start, with the pair securing $21 million in unconditional sales at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/one-four-four-hutt-adelaide-144-hutt-street-adelaide-sa-5000">One Four Four Hutt</a>&nbsp;on the edge of the Adelaide CBD.

Over a third of apartments have been snapped up in the boutique 44-apartment project on the corner of Hutt Stret and Wakefield Road. Local downsizers and owner-occupiers wanting to remain in Adelaide's tightly-held southeast quarter have been the most prominent purchasers.

The DKO-designed, mixed-use development is one of the few new apartment projects in the precinct, an area where new housing supply has remained limited despite continued demand from buyers wanting to stay close to the CBD, Victoria Park and Adelaide's established east-end amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151233 project_image_fid=375378]

Fortis Head of Development SA Arthur Dendrinos said the early sales reflected both the strength of the local owner-occupier market and confidence in the Hutt Street location.

"The level of early commitment reflects the confidence local buyers have in the Hutt Street precinct," Dendrinos said.

"Many purchasers are long-term east-end residents who love the area and want to stay connected to the neighbourhood. They recognise the value of a well-designed, well-located development.

"Our partnership with Otello has been central to this success, and the number of unconditional sales at this stage only strengthens our confidence in the South Australian market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151233 project_image_fid=375379]

Otello Director Daniel Harris said the sales result also highlighted the lack of new apartment opportunities within the Hutt Street precinct.

"One Four Four Hutt has clearly resonated with buyers, with strong early sales reflecting both the appeal of the Hutt Street corridor and the lifestyle on offer," Harris said.

"The activated ground-floor retail has also been a key drawcard, with purchasers responding to the vision of a more vibrant and connected streetscape, not just the residences themselves."

One Four Four Hutt will deliver 44 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside a collection of penthouses, above a ground-floor retail offering designed to further activate the Hutt Street precinct.

Construction is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of this year, with completion anticipated in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151233]

Fortis Head of Development SA Arthur Dendrinos said the early sales reflected both the strength of the local owner-occupier market and confidence in the Hutt Street location.

Fortis makes Adelaide debut with Otello as One Four Four Hutt records strong early sales

Residential Listings

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Overall national residential property listings decreased in February 2021 by 2.7%, to stand at 257,952 listings, according to figures released by SQM Research.

It despite 76,430 new listings being added into stock. "Buyers are absorbing listings at a quicker pace than currently being added into the market," SQM's Louis Christopher noted.

Compared to last February, listings are down by 13%. The largest 2021 monthly decrease were in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth, and compared to a year earlier, listings fell the most in Hobart and Adelaide.

<img alt="" height="532" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/total_listings_sqm.jpg" width="1200">

Only Melbourne recorded a year on year increase in listings. SQM advised listings over 180 days fell 8.5% for the month and are down 26.7% compare to this time, last year.

"Right now demand is swamping supply," Christopher, the SQM managing director said.

"And no where more is this the case than regional Australia. “Still, the big test is to come when JobKeeper ends at the end of this month. "If there is no evidence of a material fall in clearance rates over April, then nothing is going to stop the market until the day APRA steps to regulate lending in or we have a rate hike from the Reserve Bank,” Christopher said.
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Figures released by SQM Research reveal national residential property listings decreased in February 2021 by 2.7%, to stand at 257,952 listings.

jchancellor

February residential listings jump, but buyer demand sees total in decline: SQM

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SQM Research has calculated national residential property listings decreased in January by 2.9%, falling from 272,999 in December 2020 to 265,116. 

Compared to 12 months ago, listings were down by 10.5%.

All capital cities experienced seasonal decreases in property listings over the month except for Perth which had a 0.1% increase in listings.  

The largest decrease was in Melbourne of 4.7%.

Year-on-year listings also show larger declines for most capital cities with the exception of Sydney and Melbourne, both recording increases of 4.5% and 21%, respectively.

Nationally, new listings (over the past 30 days) decreased by a 24% over the course of January with 16,234 less properties on the market. 

Hobart’s new listings decreased by a significant 33.28%, followed by Canberra which decreased by 26%.  Sydney recorded the lowest decrease in new listings of 2%.

The month of January traditionally records falls in properties listed for sale as the market is still in a summer holiday mode. SQM’s Louis Christopher said.

“This year was no exception. 

“However, when we consider the number of new listings compared to January 2020, there was a material rise in nearly all cities.

“This finding is consistent with the observed early start to the auction market over January and February,” he added.
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Property listings decline in January: SQM Research

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The traditional Christmas property listing decline saw listings fall -7.9 per cent over December, down from 296,267 in November to 272,999, figures released by SQM Research show.

Sydney drove the decline, down -18.3 per cent, although their 26,038 total listings in December 2020 was 13.8 per cent higher than it was in December 19 (22,888).

Listings in Melbourne were a huge 30.5 per cent higher than in December 2020 compared to 2019. They have 39,475 listings on the market compared to 30,247 12 months ago.

New listings were unsurprisingly down by 17 per cent nationally in December, with 13,680 less new properties listed for sale.

<img alt="" height="564" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/sqm_december_listings.jpg" width="1200">

Sydney’s new listings decreased by 41.8 per cent followed by Melbourne which decreased by 27.1 per cent. 

Hobart was the only capital city that recorded an increase in new listings of 0.8 per cent.

Louis Christopher, managing director of SQM Research said it's no surprise to see listings decline at this time of the year.

“The month of December traditionally records falls in properties listed for sale as it is the start of the festive and summer holiday period," Christopher says, adding however that activity was strong all the way through to the last weekend before Christmas.

He said this was unusual and likely reflected a degree of catch up from the property inspection restrictions earlier in the year.

"Going forward I believe listings activity is going to remain strong in early 2021 but could weaken on the wind up of Job Keeper in March 2021.

"We believe Job Keeper has provided support to the market over 2020.”

 

 
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New listings were down by 17 per cent nationally in December, with 13,680 less new properties listed for sale.

Property listings tail off in December, but activity strong through to Christmas: SQM Research

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<div>Historically dwelling listings tend to begin to rise from the end of August.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>However, nationally dwelling stock on market levels remain 1.3% lower than a year ago.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>At the capital city level stock on market has declined over the past year in Hobart (-11%), Canberra (-8%), Melbourne (-5%), Brisbane (-3%), Adelaide (-2%) and Sydney (-1%).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>However, there have been significant increases in stock on market in the struggling markets of Perth (+18%) and Darwin (+15%).</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/09/02/201508-Table.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/09/02/201508-Table.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>. 
His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
</div>
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Stock for sale virtually unchanged from last year: Pete Wargent

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GUEST OBSERVER
We all know that housing market conditions are very different from region to region, with values continuing to show strong growth conditions in Sydney and Melbourne, while dwelling values are trending lower in Perth and Darwin. 
One of the fundamental drivers of housing market performance comes back to the balance between housing supply and demand.
All too often, we reference supply levels to the amount of new housing stock that has either been approved for construction, or recently completed. From this perspective, we are absolutely seeing a surge of apartments into inner city markets across the largest capital cities. However, another facet of housing supply relates to how many homes are currently being advertised for sale.
Listing counts
Listing counts, which typically reflect how many established homes are currently available for sale (as opposed to developer stock, or off-the-plan listings, which generally aren’t advertised for sale individually on the major real estate portals such as realestate.com.au) are also an important measure of housing supply.
The number of properties being advertised for sale provides a vital clue about the direction of housing prices. Those cities where advertised stock levels remain short are continuing to see upwards price pressures, while cities with historically high stock levels are seeing downwards pressure.
Take Sydney as a case in point. CoreLogic is currently tracking just over 18,800 listings across the metro region of Sydney. While this headline figure is approximately 4% higher than a year ago, overall stock levels remain historically low. As a comparison point, when the Sydney market was moving through a down phase between late 2010 and mid-2012, CoreLogic was tracking just over 40,000 properties on the market.
<a href="/images/2016/08/30/marketTim_normal.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/08/30/marketTim_normal.png" alt="">
The fact that Sydney listing numbers remains so low is one of the factors providing the upwards pressure on housing prices. Buyers simply don’t have a lot of stock to choose from, which creates urgency in the market and provides leverage to vendors when setting and negotiating their prices.
At the other end of the spectrum is a city like Darwin, where listing numbers have recently moved through historically high levels. CoreLogic is currently tracking just over 1,600 homes for sale across Darwin. Considering the past 12 months saw approximately 2,160 dwellings sold across Darwin, we can estimate there is roughly 9 months of ‘effective’ housing supply across the Darwin market.
<a href="/images/2016/08/30/marketTim2_normal.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/08/30/marketTim2_normal.png" alt="">
Watching the trend in listing numbers is an important aspect to understanding local housing market performance. Most cities are still recording a relatively low number of property advertisements compared with historic levels, however with Spring approaching, we are likely to see an upwards trend of newly advertised properties enter the market.
With transaction numbers already trending lower, this upswing in stock levels will provide a timely test of the market’s strength.
Tim Lawless is head of the CoreLogic research and analytics team and can be contacted <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/author/timlawless/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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tlawless-5VLUrbAk9s

The balance between housing supply and demand: Tim Lawless

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SQM Research reported that listing numbers declined across every capital city in August, and August listings nationally down by 4.3 percent from the prior year.  
<div>This is not unusual for August according to SQM, so we may see a rebound in September. </div>
<a href="/images/2016/09/08/SQM1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge </a>
<div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/09/08/SQM1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Over the past year Hobart has been the one significantly tightening market with listings down by 7 per cent in August to be 10.7 per cent lower than one year ago. </div>
<a href="/images/2016/09/08/SQM2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/09/08/SQM2.jpg" alt=""></div>
 Darwin listings seem to have stabilised, while this was a better result for Perth, though median asking prices are lower than one year ago in both of these resources capital cities.  
<div>In Sydney total listings are 12.3 percent higher than one year ago.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>According to SQM's managing director, Sydney's inner ring has seen record year-on-year declines in listings, but outer suburban and older stock is not shifting leading to the annual increase in total listings. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>There has been much talk of an apartment corrections in the largest capital, but to date median asking prices are higher over the year in both Sydney (+5.2 percent) and Melbourne (+5.2 percent). </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>. 
His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
</div>
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Listings decline across the board: Pete Wargent

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Expat buyers should be aware that many of the homes available for sale are not yet listed on the internet.
These are properties that estate agents or buyers’ agents know have vendors willing to sell in the new year that have yet to advertised.
Peter Kelaher of PK Property Search and Negotiators says that a large proportion of the transactions negotiated by his firm are silent sales. 
“Agents call us to say that a property is going on the internet in a month’s time,” says Kelaher.
Despite the softer auction statistics, inner Sydney agents are recording a significant amount of sale activity away from the Saturday auction limelight.  
Anthony Birdsall at Laing Real Estate said his agency was seeing good stock sell through private treaty negotiations.
The penny was dropping that inner Sydney apartment prices don’t seem to be going down in a hurry as competition remains for premium offerings, he said.
Some agents in some suburbs around Sydney have noted fewer overseas buyers, meaning less competition for expats in their acquisitions.
It can be traced back to then Treasurer Joe Hockey's crackdown on illegal foreign property investment, with new rules now meaning substantial fines for real estate agents, conveyancers and migration agents who knowingly assist illegal purchases. 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Expats warned top listings might not yet be online

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Across the country there were 47,483 unique new property listing over the 28 days ended 7 February 2016. The number of new property listings is 11% higher than at the same time last year.  
If we look back over recent years it is the highest number of new property listings at this time of year since 2010. If we look at the combined capital cities we have also seen a large ramp-up in new listings with 27,430 new listings which is 5.4% higher than at the same time last year.  
Again it is the highest number of new property listings over the corresponding period since 2010. The first chart shows that over the Christmas / New Year period there is typically a sharp fall in new listings.  If history is any guide new listings are likely to continue to rise until the middle of March.
<a href="/images/2016/02/12/Chart-1-1-580x139.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/02/12/Chart-1-1-580x139.jpg" alt="">
 
<a href="/images/2016/02/12/Chart-2-1-580x144.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/02/12/Chart-2-1-580x144.jpg" alt="">
 
Total residential property listings experience a seasonal fall each Christmas / New Year period however, the slowdown is nowhere near the magnitude of the slowing in new listings.  The most recent data in the chart also indicates that total listings are actually starting to decline.  Across the country there are 239,398 total unique property listings which is -1.6% lower over the week but 0.2% higher relative to the same period in 2015.  
For the combined capital cities there are 99,137 total unique property listings which is -1.0% lower over the week but 2.6% higher year-on-year.  Much like new listings, total listings typically continue to rise up until the middle of March each year.  Given this it will be interesting to see if the fall in total listings over the most recent week will be short lived or whether there are some different factors at play.
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<img src="/images/2016/02/12/Chart-3-1-580x326.jpg" alt="">
If we look at the number of listings across the individual capital cities there are some rather interesting differences across the cities. While new listing overall are higher than a year ago they are lower in Sydney and Darwin. 
In fact new listings in both Sydney and Darwin are at their lowest level for this time of year since 2012. Elsewhere new listings in Melbourne and Brisbane are at their highest level on record (since 2007) for this time of year. In Adelaide and Perth new listings are at their highest levels for this time of year since 2010 and in Hobart and Canberra they are at their highest levels at this time of year since 2014. 
Whether the surge in new listings in most capital cities is in response to a belief that housing demand is improving or trying to beat a potential slowdown remains to be seen.  The rise in Perth new listings in particular is counterintuitive considering it has been the weakest capital city housing market over the past twelve months and you would expect given those conditions fewer people would be looking to sell.
Turning to total listings, although they are 2.6% higher year-on-year across the combined capital cities, Sydney, Perth and Darwin are the only cities in which total listings are higher than a year ago. This seems more in-line with market conditions with concerns the Sydney market is slowing and values falling in Perth and Darwin it appears that total listings reflect the slowdown in sales activity in these markets. 
If we look at the other capital cities relative to the same time of year previously, Melbourne listings are at their lowest level since 2011, Brisbane its lowest since 2008, Adelaide and Hobart listings are at their lowest levels since 2010 and Canberra listings are at their lowest level since 2014.  The relatively low level of stock across these cities has the potential to spark competition for the available stock and lead to increasing values. 
Of course this would only occur if buyer demand is also rising and it is a little too early in the year to tell if that is occurring.
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<img src="/images/2016/02/12/Chart-4-1-580x207.jpg" alt="">
The CoreLogic RP Data Listings Index tracks pre-listing activity by real estate agents across our proprietary platforms. The index points to properties about to be listed for sale and correlates with new listings data.
At a national level, the listings index is at its highest level since early October of last year however the seasonally adjusted data still shows the seasonal slowdown. In terms of a comparison to the current reading compared to the comparable week in past years, the Index is at its highest level for this time of year on record.
Looking at the Listings Index across individual capital cities shows some varied trends when we compare the current value to the value over the same week in previous years.  The Index is lower relative to a year ago in Sydney (-8.9%) and Adelaide (-3.1%). In Melbourne, Brisbane, Hobart and Darwin the Index is at a record high for this time of year.  In both Perth and Canberra the Index is at its highest level for this time of year since 2011. Based on this data we can expect over the coming weeks new listings to be higher than they were across most capital cities.
The listings data and Listings Index will be interesting to track over the coming weeks. The capital city housing markets were showing softer value growth conditions over the second half of 2015 however, early indicators for 2016 have showed a bit of a rebound in the CoreLogic Home Value Index and improved auction clearance rates.  It is important to note that the indicators early in the year are based on a thinner number of sales so it will be important to track the trends as they are updated week to week.
What we do know is that the amount of properties listed for sale both in terms of new listings and total listings is high and it will be interesting to see how well these properties are absorbed by the market over the coming weeks and months.  Particularly as auction volumes and buyer activity typically starts to pick-up between now and Easter.
Cameron Kusher is research analyst for CoreLogic RP Data. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/about/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

New residential property listings are ramping up quickly in 2016: Cameron Kusher

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Despite a classically miserable March day, Sydney recorded its strongest preliminary auction clearance rate of the year to date on Saturday, according to Domain, at above 82 percent. 
Even if the final clearance rate is revised down a bit, it's clearly a very high result on higher listings, with some big results in the inner suburbs. 
Two of the last four weekends have seen phenomenally high median auction prices, with this weekend's $1,355,000 a little below the record $1,420,000 set four weeks ago but 14 percent higher than a year ago.
On a rolling monthly basis auction prices hit their highest ever level on Saturday.
The Sydney market had clearly lost momentum in the face of macroprudential measures implemented in 2015, but was reinvigorated by two interest rate cuts in May and August 2016.
Melbournites returned from the break with a 78 per cent preliminary clearance rate according to Domain.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/20/A2-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Sydney property market sell off 

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SQM Research posted its listings figures which suggested "ongoing strength" in the housing market. 
Listings were somewhat higher in the month in Brisbane and Sydney (though miles below the peak of around 44,000 in the case Sydney). 
Melbourne's market continues a multi-year trend of tightening since 2012, while Hobart arguably has the tightest market of all of the capital cities.  
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/07/SQM1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<div id="post-body-7453053517917161107" class="post-body entry-content">
<div class="separator"><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/2017/06/07/SQM1.jpg" alt=""></div>
 <div>Indeed, both Melbourne (-19.5 percent) and Hobart (-18.9 percent) have recorded enormous year-on-year declines in total stock listings. </div>
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<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/06/07/SQM2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
 <div class="separator"><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/2017/06/07/SQM2.jpg" alt=""></div>
 <div>Melbourne recorded a massive near 6 percent uplift for houses in the month, for a 22.6 percent annual increase. </div>
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<div>The Melbourne housing market is performing extremely bullishly, echoing out-performance in the local economy.</div>
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<div>It's also worthy of note that the annual change in listings in resources cities has flattened, after increasing for a long period of time. </div>
 
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>.
His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
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