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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<h3 class="post-title entry-title">Sydney and Canberra listings crept higher in the lead-up to the spring selling season, taking national listings a little north over the month of August from 316,748 to 318,825, according to SQM Research. </h3>
<div id="post-body-7780315564848738704" class="post-body entry-content">
Asking prices in Sydney nevertheless moved higher than a month earlier, both for houses and units. 
Nationally total listings are -4.3 per cent lower than a year ago, however, driven by excessive annual declines in the firing Melbourne and Hobart housing markets. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/07/newb.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/09/07/newb.jpg" alt="">
Both monthly and annual listing numbers are also now in decline in Perth, suggesting that it's only a matter of time now before prices begin rising again in Western Australia, especially in light of the commodity markets rebound. 
Listings in Melbourne have now broadly fallen from ~50,000 to ~30,000 since 2012, with listings a massive -15.3 per cent lower year-on-year, suggesting that house prices will continue to surge in the Victorian capital. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/07/newB2.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/09/07/newB2.jpg" alt="">
In Hobart listings have plummeted some -20.2 per cent lower since August 2016, with now just 2,520 listings across the entire capital city market and a surfeit of willing buyers, both locally and from interstate.
House prices are recording gains of ~15 per cent per annum across Greater Hobart.
Simon Pressley, founder of Propertyology, notes that gains in inner metropolitan Hobart have been tracking at closer to ~20 per cent per annum.  
Supply sluggish
Hobart is a relatively small capital city of about 225,000 persons. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/07/newB3.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/09/07/newB3.jpg" alt="">
Normally, one would associate such a rapid run-up in demand and house prices with a decisive supply response.
Hobart is not a mainland city, however, and some larger developers may be a little more reluctant to get involved, due to logistics and cost.
To date the increase in dwelling approvals has been muted to say the least, suggesting that the Hobart price boom will likely continue well into 2018. 
SQM sees more first homebuyers entering the market in New South Wales and Victoria, drawn in by first homebuyer grants, but more stock likely to be hitting the market too.
GDP to be solid
In other news, the current account deficit widened in the second quarter to $9.6 billion on weaker commodity prices - albeit from a tremendously improved position - while net foreign debt declined for another quarter. 
Exports exceeded imports, however, and are expected add +0.3 percentage points to GDP growth when the national accounts are released today.
Furthermore there was a very strong +2.2 per cent increase in public demand, set to add another +0.5 percentage points to GDP. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/07/A1.jpg" target="_blank">Click 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/2017/09/07/A1.jpg" alt="">
Thus, despite the significant drag from inventories, Westpac now expects quarterly GDP growth to be around +1 per cent. 
And with a negative quarterly print to drop off in due course, GDP growth now seems likely to surge into the end of 2017.
One other interesting point of note for the phantom rate hike brigade to take note of, the Reserve Bank Governor noted in his dinner speech that the Board had considered the merits of lower rates still, but appears to have held off to allow the heat in the Sydney housing market to ease (which it now has). 
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">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">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Hobart mounts full-scale property boom

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National residential listings declined 9.2% in December 2018 to 328,203 from 361,619 in November 2018, according to SQM Research.
It noted that the stock reduction in all cities was expected during the festive and summer break, however, the decline in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra were larger than expected.
Residential listings were down on November in Sydney 17.7%, Melbourne 17.2% and Canberra 15.5%.
Hobart recorded the smallest monthly decline at 5.8%.
But compared to a year earlier, national listings were up 2.8%, with Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra’s year-on-year listings up the most - Melbourne up 25.4%, Canberra 19.3% and Sydney up 16.5%.
Hobart on the other hand experienced a yearly decline of 5.8%, with residential property listings dropping from 2,426 in December 2017 to 2,286 in December 2018.
Adelaide and Darwin also experienced yearly declines of sale listings at 4.1% and 2.9%, respectively.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/1/8/SQM%20Table%201.JPG" alt="">
(Source: SQM Research)
Louis Christopher, managing director of SQM Research, said listings in December had some large falls however, let us keep in mind there was a surge in listings recorded in November and that December traditionally records a large fall in properties for sale as this is a holiday period.
“Our view remains in place that prices will likely fall in Sydney and Melbourne over the course of 2019.
"We note however that Melbourne house asking prices increased during the month by 0.3% as did unit asking prices in Sydney 0.7%.
"I also note that national listings are now only up 2.8% for the year, indicating that regional centres may well have outperformed the major capital cities in 2018.”
<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/Subscriber%20strip%20ad.jpg" alt=""></a>
Asking prices were a different story as capital city asking prices rose 0.4% for units to $571,600 but declined 0.9% for houses to $924,500, for the month to 31 December 2018.
The largest monthly rise came from Canberra, where house asking prices rose 2.5%. However, Unit asking prices in Canberra declined by 1.1%.
Sydney recorded the highest increase in Unit asking prices of 0.7% but the largest decline in House asking prices of 1.6% over the month.
Year-on-year asking price gains were the strongest in Canberra for both houses and units, with house prices rising by 3.4% and Units by 7.9%.
Year-on-year prices fell in Sydney, Darwin and Perth for both houses and units.
Brisbane and Hobart recorded increases in house asking prices but unit prices declined year-on-year.
This was reversed in Adelaide and Melbourne which recorded decreases in house prices but increases in unit asking prices over the year.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/1/8/SQM%20Table%202.JPG" alt="">
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

December 2018 national residential listings sat higher than December 2017: SQM Research

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<div>
SQM Research found that listings fell slightly by 0.4% in November, with monthly falls being seen in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>This is fairly unusual to see as the spring selling season typically reaches its peak, although the decline did follow on from a surge in October. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/8/SQM1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/12/8/SQM1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>Over the past year listings are up in Sydney (+11.8%) and Darwin (+11.4%).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>On the other hand Melbourne (-7.0%) and Hobart (-9.1%) listings have declined sharply over the year.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/8/SQM2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/12/8/SQM2.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>Despite the increased vendor activity in Sydney over the past 12 months, the harbour city still only had 28,597 listings as at November 2015 compared to more than 44,000 in Melbourne.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>A market slowdown is to be expected in Sydney given that house prices have increased by +59.4 per cent since July 2012, or nearly $400,000.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="/images/2015/12/8/Residex.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div><img src="/images/2015/12/8/Residex.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>
</div>
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Slight listings decline in November: Pete Wargent

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Following recent policy announcements by the Federal Opposition, housing related issues such as affordability have come onto the political agenda. 
Whether Labor’s policies would actually improve housing affordability, especially without supply and infrastructure reforms, remains to be seen. Nevertheless the following piece looks at affordability by analysing median house and unit values into bands across Australia’s suburbs in order to get a deeper look at the cost of housing.
House values tend to be more expensive in capital cities than in regional areas. This is highlighted by the fact that 51.2% of regional suburbs have a median value of between $200,000 and $400,000 compared to 15.4% of capital city suburbs. 
Similarly just 0.6% of capital city suburbs have a median house value of less than $200,000 compared to 13.1% of regional suburbs. There is no value band that shows a clear majority across the combined capital cities however, the 33.1% of suburbs with a median value of between $400,000 and $600,000 is the band with the greatest share of suburbs.
<div>
<h3>Suburb median house value bands, capital cities vs. regional areas, Dec-15</h3>
<a href="/images/2016/03/4/2016-02-29--image1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/4/2016-02-29--image1.jpg" alt="">
Across the unit markets, the greatest share of suburbs both across the capital cities and in regional areas have a median value between $200,000 and $400,000. There is a large difference between the two in that 71.4% of regional suburbs have a median unit value of between $200,000 and $400,000 compared to 41.2% of suburbs in the capital cities. Again when we look at the most affordable suburbs there is a large difference, just 1.7% of capital city suburbs have a median unit value of less than $200,000 compared to 13.3% across regional Australia. 
<h3>Suburb median unit value bands, capital cities vs. regional areas, Dec-15</h3>
<a href="/images/2016/03/4/2016-02-29--image2.jpg" target="_blank"> Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/4/2016-02-29--image2.jpg" alt="">
Focusing solely on the data across the capital cities really highlights just how expensive Sydney is relative to other cities.
For houses, 25.3% of Sydney suburbs have a median value of between $1 million and $1.5 million making it the largest single value band for the city. Across the other capital cities the value band with the greatest proportion of suburb median values is $400,000 to $600,000 with the only other exceptions Hobart ($200,000 to $400,000) and Darwin ($600,000 to $800,000).
Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin have no suburbs with a median house value of less than $200,000. In Sydney, 47.8% of suburbs have a median house value of more than $1 million compared to 20.5% in Melbourne, 2.6% in Brisbane, 3.8% in Adelaide and 12.9% in Perth.
<h3>Suburb median house value bands across capital cities, Dec-15</h3>
<a href="/images/2016/03/4/2016-02-29--image3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/4/2016-02-29--image3.jpg" alt="">
It is a similar story for capital city unit markets with 33.1% of Sydney suburbs having a median unit value of between $600,000 and $800,000 making it the largest band for the city. In most other capitals, the highest proportion of suburbs have a median unit value of between $200,000 and $400,000 with the exception of Melbourne and Perth (both $400,000 to $600,000).
As with house values, no suburbs in Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin have a median unit value of less than $200,000. 8.8% of Sydney suburbs have a median unit value of more than $1 million compared to 0.3% in Melbourne, 0.4% in Brisbane, 0.0% in Adelaide and 0.9% in Perth.
<h3>Suburb median unit value bands across capital cities, Dec-15</h3>
<a href="/images/2016/03/4/2016-02-29-image4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge </a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/4/2016-02-29-image4.jpg" alt="">
The data shows that particularly in our larger capital cities there is a critical undersupply of affordable housing options (even in the unit market). As a result an increasing number of residents are being locked out of home ownership or are being forced to purchase outside of the cities. Remember that although job prospects are generally better in the larger capital cities the difference in average wages across the capital cities is nowhere near as large as the differences in home values.
Cameron Kusher is research analyst for CoreLogic RP Data. You can contact him <a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/about/">here</a>.
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Limited capital city housing options under $200,000: CoreLogic RP Data's Cameron Kusher

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After falling away in March, both new listings and the total volume of homes available for sale across Australia have risen in April.
Over the 28 days ending 1 May 2016, the total number of homes available for sale across the nation rose to 241,633, compared to 235,897 over the 28 day period ending 3 April 2016. However, relative to last year, the total volume of stock listed for sale is -1.7 percent lower, despite the number of newly listed properties being 2.5 percent higher than one year ago.
Of the total stock available for sale, 44.4 percent of properties are located within a capital city, where over the 28 days ending 1 May, 107,199 residential properties were available for sale.
Over the same period, 27,073 new listings were added to the market, accounting for almost 62 percent of new listings added nationally. While the total available stock nationally is lower than it was at the same time last year, capital city listing volumes are 5.1 percent higher (while new listings remain comparable to what was seen one year ago, up just 0.9 percent) suggesting a slower rate of absorption is leading to an increase in stock on market.
<a href="/images/2016/05/09/201605-Table.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/05/09/201605-Table.png" alt="">
In terms of total stock available for sale, across the individual capital cities, Sydney (+22.0 percent), Brisbane (+3.4 percent), Adelaide (+4.7 percent), Perth (+8.6 percent) and Darwin (+12.2 percent) all have more stock available for sale relative to one year ago, while each of the other cities has less stock available for sale.
While Sydney’s listed stock seems much higher than it was one year ago, if we take a look at the same period in 2014, current listings are just 2.7 percent higher. 2015 was a strong year for the Sydney housing market, with annual home value growth peaking at 18.4 percent in July and strong levels of vendor confidence with market metrics such as low levels of vendor discounting, fast selling times, high auction clearance rates and quick stock absorption further demonstrates the strength across the Sydney property market.
Despite current listings being much higher than they were last year, relative to historic levels across the city, total listings in Sydney remain much lower.
To put this into perspective, current listings across the city are -12.5 percent below what they were in 2010, -22.2 percent lower than 2011, and -34.7 per cent lower than 2012. On the other hand, in Darwin and to a lesser extent, Perth, total listings have been trending upwards for some time now, while new listings remain relatively flat.
<a href="/images/2016/05/09/201605-capital-city.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/05/09/201605-capital-city.png" alt="">
When the regional markets in each state and territory are factored in, Queensland (0.4 per cent), South Australia (7.8 per cent), Western Australia (6.9 per cent) and the Northern Territory (12.8 per cent) are all seeing higher stock volumes than one year ago, while New South Wales (-7.6 per cent), Victoria (-2.9 per cent), Tasmania (-21.0 per cent) and the Australian Capital Territory (-17.4 per cent), all have less residential properties available for sale relative to one year ago.
<a href="/images/2016/05/09/201605-national.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/05/09/201605-national.png" alt="">
 
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Residential listings trend higher in April: CoreLogic RP Data's Shana Miller

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The suburb of Perth is only a tiny part of the vast metropolitan area known as Perth, but its property market is a microcosm for what’s happening more broadly across the WA capital. 
The suburb of Perth, partly CBD and partly residential area, is a sea of negative numbers. Indeed, the numbers are so bad it’s made our Bottom 12 list in The Price Predictor Index – the 12 worst places to buy right now, otherwise known as The Dirty Dozen.
It came to our attention primarily because of the pattern in sales volumes, with quarterly sales of dwellings totalling 149, 136, 127, 93, 99, 86, 84 and 70 in the past eight consecutive quarters, which means sales activity has halved in two years. 
But there are various other negative indicators. Vacancies are high at 6.4%, according to SQM Research. Median prices have fallen 7% in the past 12 months, both for houses and for units, according to Domain. 
The median house price today, $525,000, is at the same level as five years ago. 
Its market situation provides a snapshot of the general trend in the broader city region of the same name. Perth, the metropolitan area, displays many similar qualities: sales activity falling, prices and rents following, vacancies in many areas way too high, especially in the inner-city apartment suburbs. 
Four other WA locations make The Dirty Dozen, all of them resources-impacted centre. All four – Port Hedland, Karratha, Newman and Kambalda – have been bad news for 2-3 years now. The point is that, contrary to the best propaganda efforts of marketers, the worst is not yet over. 
And, if you can believe BIS Shrapnel’s recent assessment of the resources sector and mining towns, it’ll get worse before it gets better. 
Let’s use Port Hedland as a case study. This market, comprising Port Hedland and neighbouring South Hedland, has been in steep decline for the past three years.
Sales rates have declined from peak levels – quarterly sales have dropped from 70-80 per quarter three years ago to around 20-30 per quarter in 2015 - but the greatest measure of the deterioration of this market is in the price and rental data.
Three years ago, Port Hedland had a median house price of $1.3 million; today it is $880,000, lower than five years ago, but still too high to provide value for money. In South Hedland the median price is down to $680,000. 
The median weekly rent has dropped from $2,500 to $900 in Port Hedland and to $650 in South Hedland – and typical yields are now 5.5%, compared to 10-11% when the resources boom was at its peak. No sensible investor would buy at yields so low in a location where the risks are so high.
The decline in rents has followed a significant rise in vacancy rates, with Port Hedland currently 6.5% and South Hedland 7%. 
This market will no doubt recover when commodity prices do, but it's difficult to imagine the median house price reaching $1.3 million again any time soon.
Six of The Dirty Dozen are in Queensland and all are resources-related centres. They include the usual suspects, such as Gladstone, Emerald, Moranbah and the towns of the Surat Basin.
Less often written about is Mount Isa. This is one of Australia’s largest mining towns and a significant regional centre in far western Queensland.
But its property market has dropped alarmingly since early in 2013. In consecutive quarters, the number of dwelling sales has dropped from 189-158-78-63-61-46-41-50-49-42-25.
The suburb of Sunset is typical – sales numbers in consecutive quarters have been 30-23-8-10-12-12-7-6-8-8-8-6. In Pioneer, quarterly sales have been 20-16-12-7-3-8-4-1-2-4-7-1-2. Menzies has recorded just four sales in the past 18 months. 
This remarkable decline coincided with the merger between Glencore and Mount Isa’s biggest employer, Xstrata – followed by downsizing. Vacancies have been rising since early 2013, reaching 6.5%, and have now moderated a little to 4.5%.
Prices have dropped markedly, with median prices down sharply in Mornington (23%) and Townview (18%) in the past 12 months. 
The locations that make up The Dirty Dozen demonstrate the remarkable diversity of situations in property markets across Australia. 
Two capital cities have had strong markets, two have been in serious decline and the other four have shown varying degrees of stagnation or moderate growth. Regional Australia has similar patterns, ranging from boom centres through dormant markets to absolute basket cases.
 
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a> 
 
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Terry Ryder's dirty dozen - from Perth to Mount Isa the 12 localities to avoid

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Huh, so much for the predicted 'disorderly rush for the exits'.
4.5 years of rising property prices later listing volumes and turnover rates have sunk to their lowest levels on record, as a percentage of total property stock. 
Having executed its IPO, McGrath (ASX:MEA) provided the below chart as part of its Presentation to the 2016 Annual General Meeting.
<div id="post-body-3609892557233707334" class="post-body entry-content">
<a href="/images/2016/11/25/MEA.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a> <div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/11/25/MEA.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">Source: ASX: MEA</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">McGrath's diagnosis left little doubt as to the reason for this, being excessively high stamp duty costs.</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">It's a point I've visited here often before. </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">Stamp duty bands were designed with far, far lower dwelling prices in mind.</div>
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<div class="separator">By consistently refusing to raise stamp duty and land transfer brackets authorities are effectively loading more and more up front tax on to property purchases (in addition to other taxes, such as rates and land taxes).</div>
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<div class="separator">By effectively raising the stamp duty from a bit over 1 percent of the purchase price three decades ago to around 4 percent, the tax has gone from being a consequence or by-product of the transaction to an actual barrier. </div>
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<div class="separator">No doubt the stamp duty windfall has been great for state governments and their overflowing coffers, particularly in New South Wales which has raised $8.6 billion in the last year alone and where we have net debt of less than zero for the first time ever. </div>
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<div class="separator">Unfortunately, the high transactional cost of moving is predictably leading to 'asset lock in' and indirectly impacting labour force mobility.</div>
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<div class="separator">Meanwhile investors remain wedded to their buy-and-hold strategies since if they choose to sell they get hit with capital gains tax (not that this stops unthinking 'think tanks' from campaigning for higher CGT). </div>
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<div class="separator">As for non-residents, presumably some of them must sell but I've rarely come across it, probably because they purchase expensive new property and it can take years to break even on that type of stock with its inherent price premium (particularly now with the new levies on foreign buyers loaded on top of stamp duties, plus land taxes). </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">Asset lock in</div>
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<div>Unsurprisingly capital city owners of houses now hold on to their houses for 10.7 years on average, way up from 6.7 years in 2005.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Owners of apartments now hold for 9 years, well up from 5.9 years in 2005.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The negative feedback look has become self-fulfilling, with so little stock available prospective capital city vendors are hesitant to list for fear of becoming locked out of rising markets. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Due to low listing volumes, McGrath implied that we can expect to see low transaction volumes in FY17. </div>
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<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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Listings lowest on record says McGrath: Pete Wargent

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National residential listings decreased by four per cent in November, and are now down -12.6 per cent compared to the time last year.
Listings dropped from 308,469 in October to 296,267 in November.
All capital cities recorded decreases in listings over the month with the exception of Melbourne, which posted an increase of 1.2 per cent.
Darwin saw the largest listing decrease, down -6.7 per cent, followed by -6.4 per cent declines in Sydney and -6.1 per cent in Hobart.
Darwin, Sydney and Hobart posted the largest decreases of 6.7%, 6.4% and 6.1% respectively.
Brisbane recorded a -3.8 percent decrease, Canberra -3.2 per cent and Adelaide three per cent. Perth recorded the lowest decrease of -2.4 per cent.
Louis Christopher, managing director of SQM Research said the surprising decline in total listings for the month was predominantly driven by a decline in old listings.
"The fall in old listings tells me stock is being absorbed at a quicker rate than levels recorded earlier this year. It is a yet another signal that buyer activity is on the rise.”
<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/2020/DEC/2/SQM%20stock.jpg" alt="">
National year-on-year listings decreased -12.6 per cent, with significant decreases in Darwin (-28.2 per cent) and Hobart (-26.1 per cent) and Adelaide (-21.5 per cent).  
Sydney recorded a smaller decrease of 0.7 per cent. Melbourne however, recorded a large increase of 11.5 per cent. 
New listings across the country rose, just 0.48 per cent in November, with 381 more new properties listed for sale.
<a href="https://sqmresearch.com.au/total-property-listings.php?region=nt%253A%253ADarwin&amp;type=c&amp;t=1">Darwin’s</a> new listings increased by a significant 27.3 per cent. New listings in Melbourne increased by 4.1 per cent, while Sydney was the only capital that recorded a decline in new listings.
 
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Total property listings decrease in November as old stock gets snapped up: SQM

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A country resort-style holiday home has been listed for sale in western Sydney’s Canley Vale.
Located at 7 Cook Avenue, the home is expected to sell for between $920,000 and $960,000.
The five-bedroom, four-bathroom home sits on a large 1,524sqm block alongside Cook Park and Waterside Crescent Reserve.
Set over two storeys, the home offers a level backyard, an outdoor gym area, and an alfresco area.
The home also includes a well-sized granny flat that has the potential to become income-producing.
According to CoreLogic data, the home last traded for $380,000 in 2010. Currently, the median sales price of houses in the area is $821,000.
Located 750 metres to Carramar station, the home offers a “holiday paradise in the countryside”, the marketing reads.
The listing is held by Laing+Simmons Cabramatta agent Francis Wong.
Wong said that with a price guide just shy of $1 million, the property an affordable choice for a range of buyers.
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Resort-style holiday home listed in western Sydney's Canley Vale

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Australian residential property listings decreased in April by 4.9%, according to the latest figures released by SQM Research.
Overall listings nationwide were at 292,775, down from 307,847 properties listed in March 2020.
Compared to 12 months ago, listings were down by 11.9%.
Canberra was the only capital city which did not experience a decrease in property listings, posting a small 0.4% increase.
The largest decrease was in Perth with an 8.4% retraction, followed by Sydney at 7.2%.
Adelaide and Darwin both posted 6.0% decreases in property listings.
Hobart had the smallest decrease of 4.3% in listings.
Year-on-year listings show more significant declines for all capital cities with Sydney recording a decline of 19.4%, followed by Darwin with a 17.7% decline and Perth a 17.4% decline this time last year.
To enlarge, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2020/4/6/11.png" target="_blank">click here</a>.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/4/6/11.png" alt="">
The report found that the housing market “has clearly been weakened by the coronavirus and the restrictions placed on the economy to limit the outbreak.”
“With the lifting some restrictions over the course of May, we could see a lift in buyer activity for housing; however many issues persist such as the spike in unemployment and the ongoing closure of the international border,” the firm added.
Clearance times have, however, stayed remarkably steady.
In April 41.52% of properties sold in 90 days or less, while that figure was 41.16% in March.
This is slightly up from 12 months ago, when 40.28% of homes sold within the same time frame.
To enlarge, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2020/4/6/22.png" target="_blank">click here</a>.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/4/6/22.png" alt="">
Meanwhile, capital city asking prices increased by 0.7% for houses and increased 0.1% for units, over the month to 5th May 2020.
Unit asking prices are now at $574,900 and houses $994,300.
Compared to a year ago, the capital city asking prices posted increases of 9.4% for houses and 3.0% increase for units.
Over the month, some capital cities recorded marginal asking price increases, with the exception of Perth, Canberra and Hobart which all recorded declines for both houses and units. Brisbane recorded the highest decline in house prices of 1.0% over the month, followed by Perth 0.9%, Hobart 0.7% and Canberra 0.1% decline in house prices.
Unit prices declined in Sydney by 0.6%, Perth 0.5%, Hobart 0.3% and Canberra 0.1%.
Melbourne, Adelaide and Darwin were the only capital cities to record increases in both house and unit prices.
Strongest monthly growth was seen in Sydney house prices with a 1.1% increase and Melbourne’s unit market which saw a 1.0% increase. Year on year, it was only Perth and Darwin that experienced declines in house and unit prices.
All other capital cities showed some strong growth this time last year where house prices rose 12.4% in Sydney, 11.2% in Melbourne and 12.0% in Hobart.
 
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