Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

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"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

<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/tsioMLcnjas?si=zq-ys3JuWpfa5hFv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

Joel Robinson

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Virgate Property Group is preparing to commence construction of Verdé, its new apartment development in Melbourne's Arts Precinct at Southbank, following a strong run of sales that has seen more than half of the project's 173 apartments secured.

Verdé has attracted a broad mix of first home buyers, owner-occupiers upgrading from nearby inner-city suburbs and investors, with younger owner-occupier couples aged between 28 and 45 accounting for the strongest enquiry. Many are already living in Southbank, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and the CBD.

"Verdé is located in one of the most desirable pockets of southern Melbourne," Blair Property Group Director Darren Blair, who is managing sales at Verdé, said.

"It's within walking distance of the Arts Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Albert Park Lake, and Southbank's restaurants and retail. It's a great lifestyle location with strong amenity and liveability, which made it a very attractive choice for the project."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372549]

Virgate was already familiar with the precinct, having previously delivered the successful Domain House development in neighbouring South Melbourne. That experience gave the developer confidence to acquire the Coventry Street site and continue expanding its presence in Melbourne's inner south.

"We had been keeping an eye on the site and the broader precinct for a few months before deciding to move forward with the acquisition," Virgate said.

The project was ultimately secured in 2020 following feasibility studies, planning assessments and due diligence, with the brief centred on delivering "a high-quality, considered design that feels both refined and fit for purpose."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=314259]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, Verdé comprises 173 one, two and three-bedroom apartments priced from $599,000. The architecture is distinguished by a faceted glass façade that responds to both the site's outlook and Melbourne's changing light conditions.

According to Bruce Henderson Architects, the coloured glazing gives the building a distinctive identity while also providing privacy and solar shading, with residences oriented to capture views across the bay, city skyline and surrounding parklands.

Inside, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/designoffice">DesignOffice</a> has created interiors focused on natural light, efficient planning and enduring materials. Apartments feature engineered oak flooring, natural stone benchtops, floor-to-ceiling glazing and SMEG appliances, while a restrained material palette aims to complement the expansive outlooks rather than compete with them.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372550]

Resident amenity has also been designed around everyday functionality rather than occasional use. Facilities include a concierge-serviced lobby, residents' lounge with fireplace, library and co-working space, gym, terrace garden with barbecue facilities, ground-floor café, and package delivery management.

The project's location continues to be one of its strongest drawcards. Positioned on Coventry Street, Verdé sits within walking distance of the National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Botanic Gardens and Albert Park Lake, while Southbank's dining precinct, Sturt Street trams and the new ANZAC Station are all nearby. The surrounding education catchment also includes Melbourne Grammar, Melbourne Girls Grammar, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and several major university campuses.

The sales team says buyers have responded particularly well to the combination of location, design quality and long-term liveability.

"They're responding really positively to the quality of the design, premium resident amenities and the uninterrupted views. Many also appreciate the location and how connected it is to everything they need."

The ability to secure stamp duty savings before completion has also been a key factor for purchasers, alongside the opportunity to personalise finishes ahead of settlement.

With construction set to commence soon and more than half the apartments already sold, Verdé enters its next phase as one of the Arts Precinct's more established apartment developments, offering remaining buyers an opportunity to secure a residence before construction advances further. Expected completion is scheduled for late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=4661]

Virgate's Verdé Southbank moves toward construction as sales fly past halfway stage

Downsizer-focused apartment development Kooyongkoot in Hawthorn has been recognised at the 2026 Better Future Melbourne Design Awards, taking home Gold and Silver awards in two categories.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kooyongkoot-hawthorn-1-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122">Kooyongkoot</a>, currently being delivered by developer PQD and designed by Cera Stribley, received Gold in the Interior Design – Proposed category and Silver in the Architecture – Proposed category.

The dual recognition reflects the design approach behind the boutique development on prestigious Kooyongkoot Road, where the focus has been on creating homes for downsizers seeking the space, quality and functionality of a detached house within a low-rise apartment building.

Rather than maximising apartment numbers, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pqd">PQD</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a> limited the development to just 18 residences, allowing for larger floorplans, greater privacy, generous landscaping and expansive communal spaces.&nbsp;The majority of the apartments also benefit from corner aspects, allowing for dual sources of natural light.

Now around 70 per cent complete and on track for completion in November 2026, Kooyongkoot will comprise a mix of garden residences, ter​race apartments, sub-penthouses, and is crowned by two half-floor penthouses with direct lift access and private rooftop terraces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355297]

The Silver Award for Architecture recognised the way the building responds to its prominent corner position at the ent​rance to Hawthorn's Scotch Hill precinct, one of Melbourne's most established residential neighbourhoods.

Rather than competing with the grand homes that line Kooyongkoot Road, the architectural approach focused on restraint and longevity, using curved brickwork, generous landscaping and carefully considered proportions to integrate with the existing streetscape.

"The form feels fluid and timeless, as though shaped by the landscape itself – architecture that belongs, rather than competes," said Chris Stribley, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Cera Stribley.

The judging submission also highlighted practical innovations throughout the building, including lift cores servicing only nine homes each, a central landscaped lightcourt designed to bring daylight and ventilation into the building, and fully enclosed private storage rooms with lighting, power and shelving to better accommodate residents transitioning from larger family homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355293]

The Gold Award for Interior Design recognised the project's focus on long-term liveability rather than display-home aesthetics.

According to the awards submission, the interiors were designed from the inside out, prioritising how homes would function over decades of daily use through generous proportions, practical storage, durable natural materials and flexible layouts.

The specification includes natural stone throughout, upgraded acoustic glazing, V-ZUG appliances and fully enclosed storage rooms, alongside an amenity offering focused on wellness, entertainment and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Residents will have access to a gym and yoga studio, a wellness centre featuring traditional and infrared saunas, a cold therapy shower and treatment room, as well as a residents' lounge and golf simulator/cinema room for entertainment.&nbsp;Kooyongkoot has also considered the everyday convenience of its residents by offering a private carwash and pet wash facilities on site as well as dedicated parcel lockers and oversized fully enclosed storage rooms.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355303]

The project's attention to detail has already resonated with buyers. Earlier this year, Kooyongkoot recorded one of Boroondara's highest apartment sales when an $8 million penthouse was purchased by a Melbourne CEO downsizing from a nearby family home.

"Every detail feels deliberate, from the overall design down to the smallest touches," the purchaser said.

"The level of quality and refinement is exceptional, but what really sold it was how liveable it felt... It felt like a place where everything had been considered, not just a luxury building."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355304]

Sustainability also formed a key part of both award submissions. Kooyongkoot is targeting a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating across all residences, supported by passive design principles, high-performance glazing, EV charging infrastructure, water reuse systems and a wellness model focused on lower-energy dry facilities rather than pools and large wet areas.

Located within walking distance of Scotch College, Methodist Ladies' College, Koo​yong Lawn Tennis Club, Aubur​n Village and Camberwell Junction, Kooyongkoot continues to target owner-occupiers looking to remain in Melbourne's inner east without compromising on space or quality. A limited selection of two, three and four-bedroom residences remains available, with prices starting from $1.9 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102717]

Kooyongkoot wins Gold and Silver at Better Future Melbourne Design Awards

New apartment supply has become increasingly constrained across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">Parramatta</a> in recent years, with fewer projects progressing through to completion as development conditions have become more challenging.

It makes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/novm">NOVM</a>'s 2021-completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-lennox-parramatta-12-phillip-street-parramatta-nsw-2150">The Lennox</a> one of the most recently completed residential towers on the Parramatta River, and among the newest apartment developments in Sydney's second CBD.

With the project largely completed before the sharp escalation in construction costs and inflation following the pandemic, The Lennox is now offering pricing that would be difficult to replicate in a comparable new development in Parramatta today, or across much of Western Sydney.

The majority of the 413 apartments at The Lennox sold before and shortly after completion. A limited release of the remaining apartments has recently been brought to market by capital partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a>, with entry-level pricing from $700,000 and two-bedroom apartments available from under $1 million.

Rising above the Parramatta River at 12 Phillip Street, The Lennox comprises one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, appealing to first home buyers, young professionals, families, downsizers and interstate investors seeking a completed apartment in one of Australia's fastest-growing economic centres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=372394]

Rather than positioning Parramatta as an alternative to Sydney's CBD, Equitifund believes the city has reached a point where it stands on its own merits.

"Parramatta is no longer simply an alternative to Sydney CBD, it's becoming a destination in its own right," Equitifund Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said.

"The Lennox captures that evolution with a level of quality and amenity that's difficult to match at its price point."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=953]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/marchese-partners">Marchese Partners</a>, the tower responds directly to its riverfront setting through expansive glazing and open-plan layouts that maximise views across the Parramatta River and city skyline. Interiors feature engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops, stainless steel appliances and floor-to-ceiling glazing, while generous balconies extend the living spaces outdoors.

Marchese Partners says the project was conceived to balance high-quality apartment living with practical, long-term functionality, pairing larger, efficient floorplans with amenities more commonly associated with five-star hotels.

That emphasis continues through the resident facilities, which include a 20-metre rooftop swimming pool, fully equipped gym and wellness spaces, full-time concierge, a residents' lounge, function room, private lifts, secure basement parking and rooftop communal areas overlooking the Parramatta River. Ground-floor boardwalk retail and dining further activate the riverfront and integrate the building into the surrounding public realm.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=925]

Australian housing and finance group Equitifund has secured the remaining apartments, believing there are few completed apartment opportunities in Parramatta that offer the same combination of location, amenity and pricing.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett says buyers are increasingly recognising that premium apartment living no longer needs to come with Sydney CBD pricing.

"The Lennox is where aspirational living becomes attainable," Hamblett said.

"Wake to river and mountain views, step into Sydney's Second CBD, and arrive home to resort-calibre amenities, all without the harbour price tag."

Hamblett says owner-occupiers are also attracted by the convenience of having Westfield Parramatta, Church Street's dining precinct, Parramatta Park, Riverside Theatres, Western Sydney University and major transport connections all within walking distance.

"At The Lennox, lifestyle is not an afterthought, it is the foundation."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=5374]

The Lennox places residents within walking distance of Parramatta Square, Westfield Parramatta, Church Street Eat Street, Parramatta Station, the ferry wharf, Light Rail, the future Sydney Metro West, Parramatta Park and CommBank Stadium, reinforcing Parramatta's position as one of Australia's most connected metropolitan centres outside Sydney's CBD.

Equitifund says buyers visiting the display suite consistently comment on the quality of the finishes, generous floorplans, river and skyline views, and the walkability of the location. The project has attracted a broad mix of local professionals, upsizers, downsizers, buyers relocating from Sydney's inner suburbs and interstate investors seeking long-term growth opportunities.

That demand aligns with Parramatta's continued evolution as an economic powerhouse. Equitifund Research and Market Insights specialist John Bekiaris says sustained population growth, infrastructure investment and expanding employment opportunities continue to support long-term housing demand across the city.

"Parramatta has evolved from a satellite city into one of Australia's most important economic centres. Population growth, infrastructure investment and employment are all supporting sustained long-term housing demand."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5743]

The apartment price gap drawing Sydney buyers west

A luxury beachfront apartment at Rainbow Bay has more than doubled in value since it sold off the plan six years ago, setting a new local apartment record in the process.

The three-bedroom apartment in the Flow development on Petrie Street, the first of four new projects locally by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects, has sold for $7.4 million, after originally selling for $3.27 million when the project launched in 2020.

The seventh-floor apartment, comprising 187 sqm of internal living space and a 54 sqm balcony overlooking Froggies Beach and Snapper Rocks, was purchased by a local family.

The transaction was negotiated by Pezet Matheson director Kerry Pezet and equates to more than $30,000 per sqm.

Pezet said the sale reflected the limited opportunities to buy into the boutique beachfront development.

"The sale highlights the rarity of opportunities within the boutique beachfront development, where residences seldom become available," Pezet said.

"Flow is one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held buildings. Buyers from our database move quickly when residences become available, and achieving an off-market sale at $7.4 million demonstrates the depth of demand for property of this calibre."

<img alt="Flow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c585b206-2130-4eee-a50c-3f27c51a7c70" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-06%20at%208.33.25%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=m3pHRDV62Y3fvN.XQuQHq.52ilTWpRLf" />

Flow was the first of four luxury apartment developments delivered by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay and was completed in 2023.

Positioned on the beachfront overlooking Snapper Rocks, the residence includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and views stretching north along the coastline towards Surfers Paradise.

Pezet Matheson Residential principal Mitchell Lambert said buyers continued to prioritise quality beachfront apartments in tightly held locations.

"Flow Residences offers a rare combination of elevated beachfront positioning, architectural excellence, comprehensive resident amenity and premium finishes, which is exactly what discerning purchasers are seeking," Lambert said.

"The transaction further reinforces Rainbow Bay's reputation as one of Australia's premier coastal lifestyle destinations, where limited supply and growing demand continue to support strong market performance."

Pezet Matheson originally marketed and sold out Flow off the plan, making the latest transaction a return to one of the project's original buyers.

Paul Gedoun is selling his third project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, after recently completing, and selling out, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a>. He has plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">fourth building</a>, 88 apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Boundary Street</a>.

Rainbow Bay apartment doubles in price since off the plan sale during pandemic

Residential Market

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The Bondi hoarders' property was withdrawn again from auction last night, after the Bobolas family bought an auction reprieve.
In yet another chapter in its saga, it was the fourth auction that failed to go-ahead.
The family have had to outlay some $340,000 in two installments to keep the sheriff at bay.
There were around 17 interested parties at the offsite auction room, but the property was pulled just 20 minutes after its scheduled 5pm auction.
The owner Mary Bobolas had been at the sheriff's office at 4.25pm with cash to stop the auction. They needed to pay a further $160,000 to meet the newest set of cleaning and legal bills.
Earlier this month they had secured a temporary legal stay that stopped another auction only to have the court's direct the auction proceed tonight because their wads of cash was not enough.
A $2 million sale had been anticipated due to its prime location and 550 sqm block size that last sold in 1973 at $15,000.
The Boonara Avenue offering was listed under instructions of the NSW Sheriff's Office.
It was the fourth time that the marketing failed to end in any under the hammer sale.
There was another unexpected delay last month.
Previously the owner Mary Bobolas dodged the sale of the property February last year by coming up with $180,000 to pay Waverley Council's cleaning and legal bills just hours before that scheduled auction.
The drawn out process has seen buyer interest wane as when it was first listed in 2015, 63 contracts had been handed out. Last month it was in the 30s. This time interest was down to around a still impressive 17 attendees. 
The council's solicitors wrote to the Bobolas family in November asking for settlement of the outstanding money to avoid the sale but they received no funds.
Raine &amp; Horne agent Ric Serrao was commissioned by the NSW Sheriff's Office to sell the property so that clean-up costs can be recovered on behalf of the council.
Rubbish flowed out of the door and onto the property frontage on the latest listing images despite a 10 truck clear up in July last year.
There were no inspections possible for prospective buyers.
Ric Serrao couldn't even access the property so there were no internal photos or floor plan available.
A 2008 study by John Snowdon, professor of psychological medicine at the University of Sydney, showed a increasing prevalence of cases of severe domestic squalor.
At least one in 1000 elderly people are living in appalling squalor, with most having dementia, alcoholic brain damage, schizophrenia, frontal lobe damage, and a few had obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care issued guidelines for agencies ranging from local councils to the RSPCA that confront the problem, suggesting a heavy-handed approach can cause huge distress, and typically did not take long for the squalor to rise again. 
This article was first published in the Daily Telegraph.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Bondi hoarders pay to stop auction

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The outer Melbourne property once the home of underworld wife, Roberta Williams during the height of gangland war in the early 2000s, failed to sell at weekend auction.
With its notorious past now long behind it,<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-hillside-122665654" target="_blank"> 20 John Paul Drive, Hillside</a> was marketed as a big family home.
The top bid was $610,000 when passed in to a young couple.
Before the auction, the listing agents indicated they thought its prior link to Ms Williams, the former wife of late crime figure Carl Williams, could give it a boost.
It came with price expectations of more than $590,000 through the Barry Plant agency.
The property sold for $280,000 in 2000 to the Williams clan and then to the current owners for $450,000 in October 2003.
Roberta Williams had Dhakota, her only child with the drug trafficker Carl, in 2001 while she owned the house. 
Carl Anthony Williams, who died in jail in 2010, was arrested in 2004 and convicted in 2007 of several gangland murders.
The five-bedroom house is larger than most in the Hillside area where the median is $470,000, according to CoreLogic.
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Former Melbourne gangland home fails to sell

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A comparison guide to the Brisbane suburbs of Lutwych and Annerley, two middle ring suburbs, has been released by iBuyNew comparing the average starting price of a one bedroom apartment.
The guide, below, also compares rental yield, annual growth and travel times into the CBD.
<a href="/images/2016/05/27/INFOGRAPHIC_LUTvsANN2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/05/27/INFOGRAPHIC_LUTvsANN2.jpg" alt="">
For more information, <a href="https://www.ibuynew.com.au" target="_blank">click here.</a>
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Brisbane suburb Annerley tops Lutwych for rental yield

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Building approvals in Tasmania are on a downward trend and lower than at same time last year according to Herron Todd White.
Herron todd White's latest market report for Tasmania who attributes market cooling to the decrease of the First Home Builders Boost (FHBB) grants, reduced from $20,000 on 31 December 2015 to $10,000 on 1 January 2016 for first home buyers or builders of new residential dwellings.
HTW said some land developers anticipated this cooling towards the end of 2015 and were attempting to bring forward demand with advertised incentives such as new cars and gift vouchers.
"Incentives were also extended to the building industry and are still being offered," the report said.
The residential property market continues to experience small annual increases in sales volumes across the state and in some areas, stock shortages have seen some capital growth in the major population centres.
"Statewide centrally located suburbs that contain a good range of facilities, larger infrastructure such as shopping centres, educational and health institutions and public transport tend to be popular with renters and purchasers alike and are viewed as having the best capital growth potential. 
"Kingston, Howrah, Blackmans Bay, Glenorchy, New Norfolk and Sandy Bay are suburbs where the greatest sales volumes have occurred recently in the south, while in the north the suburbs of Riverside, Newstead and Newnham have experienced the greatest recent volumes of sales. In the north-west region, Devonport has seen the greatest number of sales."
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

Tasmanian home building approvals on a downward trend: Herron Todd White

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There is no reason why most homes can't be put up for sale in the upcoming cooler months.
Indeed quiet winters are pretty much a thing of the past in many Sydney suburbs.
The motivation to sell or buy doesn’t go away just because it’s a bit colder or pouring on Saturday.
The federal election might distract some potential vendors but recent July auction volumes have been Sydney’s busiest on record.
Homes that get great winter light can really stand out during these cooler months.
And those west-facing windows that are a summer issue can look cool from June through August.
Just draw back the curtains and blinds on the windows to let as much light in as possible.
Your focus should be on making the house or apartment feel warm and comfortable. So definitely light the fire and switch on the heat.
Turn on all the atmosphere-creating side lamps.
Even add some warm reds and oranges to your soft furnishings around the house.
Be sure to consult your agent about the best time of day to show your home for its open for inspection.
It's not quite a never-ending, year round selling season as agents do take a break from Christmas until late January, but winter is not the same compulsive period of hibernation.
Lower winter market listings will commence from the Queen’s Birthday holiday break. 
Auction hibernation happens more so in Sydney's higher-priced suburbs through winter as overseas vacations are de jour for owner and agents alike. Garden suburb vendors tend to hold back too.
But if you can find an agent who hasn't taken off for a European sojourn, then why wait for spring when there is always a flood of offerings especially at year end.
The demographic reasons for buying and selling don't take a pause so growing families who need more space do not suddenly stop needing that extra bedroom. Those downsizers who've got their off the plan settlement coming up, will want to lock in their house sale too.
This year may see higher levels of activity than usual from prestige markets reflecting the recent momentum in these sectors. Last week CoreLogic had a 91 percent success rate among eastern suburbs offerings which means there are plenty of fresh buyers still looking and the success rate also might encourage fresh vendors.
It wasn't just the east which showed a resilience over autumn which finished with a wet Saturday with none the less well attended auctions.
CoreLogic head of research Tim Lawless noted the upcoming election and debate around taxation policy hadn't dampen the renewed bounce in Sydney home values.
He noted the bounce in the Sydney home value index was around 3.4 percent over May with Sydney clearance rates holding above the 70 percent mark through late April and May. 
Common sense would tell you that less people are inclined come to an onsite auction if the weather isn’t so friendly, however while the sticky beaks might drop off during the colder months, the percentage of serious bidders among the attendees actually increases. 
The strong autumn sales period must ensure there are still plenty of committed buyers around as we head into winter, James Pratt, director of auction services at Raine &amp; Horne noted.
John McGrath recent noted that winter is not a bad time to sell.
"Actually, the opposite is usually true," he said especially as buyers with approved finance are typically only given six months to buy before they have to re-apply, so they don’t have time to take three months off over winter.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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The demographics make winter worthwhile to list property

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Queensland rather than NSW is the favoured state for property investment, according to a survey of investors by the Investar group.
More than a third (34 percent) of investors indicated Queensland as their first preference for investment, just ahead of NSW (31 percent) and Victoria (22 percent).
WA (7 percent) and SA (5 percent) attracted lmited interest.
The survey was at odds with actual searches on the Investar website, as analysis of the last 120,000 searches over the past three months, showed more than 43 percent of potential investors were actually looking for opportunities in New South Wales, compared to 33 per cent in Queensland.
It revealed a preference for more affordable regional locations.
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Most-searched-for locations on Investar
<ol>
<li>​Brisbane City</li>
<li>Southport, QLD</li>
<li>Gold Coast, QLD</li>
<li>Logan Central, QLD</li>
<li>Wallsend, NSW</li>
<li>Newcastle, NSW</li>
<li>Northern Brisbane</li>
<li>Hunter Region, NSW</li>
<li>Central Coast, NSW</li>
<li>Labrador, QLD</li>
</ol>
 
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The top 10 investor search localities on Investar

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SPONSORED POST
The current Australian residential property market over recent years has gone from strength to strength.
With interest rates at one of the lowest points in Australia’s history, our current low currency rate attracting overseas investment into Australian property and limited supply levels in many capitals post the GFC, this has lead to a property market ranging from solid in some locations such as Brisbane to booming in areas such as Sydney and parts of Melbourne. 
An indication as to where our construction industry is at can be gained from the number of cranes on our city skylines, currently there are over 647 across Australia’s cities of which 79 percent are residential, 9 percent commercial and 12 percent covering the rest of the sectors.
Accordingly, with the major banks in Australia under strong regulatory pressure as we have previously highlighted, we have now reached a position where they have practically stopped lending on major projects for all but the very best of their institutional and high net worth corporate clients. Most developers are struggling to understand why all of a sudden they are faced with a problem that they can no longer get bank finance on the terms traditionally available.
The reality is that the major banks risk departments are now calling the shots, even though their front office credit department may have approved the project. With thousands of properties currently under construction throughout Australia, particularly in terms of apartments in concentrated locations within the major capitals there is a growing concern within these risk departments as to the level of potential settlement risk.
This in turn is borne out of their concern that many investors will not achieve finance approval for their investment if the oversupply results in their purchase price being “out of the money” as a result of falling values and some cases a two tiered market emanating from these oversupplies.
That said, there are opportunities for developers who have their finger on the pulse of the current changes in market demand for product types and mix and are ready to provide the appropriate supply.
William Arthur Ward said that "The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails."
There has also been a strong shift in South East Queensland from an investor market to one which is catering to a growing level of owner occupier demand and the smart developers have already taken this into account in configuring their projects.
Five years ago, the majority of the apartment market was demanding more 1 bedrooms, 60 percent and balance was split roughly between 2’s (20 percent) and 3’s (20 percent). Overtime this moved towards a greater No of 2’s with the 3’s remaining static. Now with the current market turning more towards owner occupiers the mix is more 60 percent 2 bedrooms and 20 percent 1‘s and 20 percent 3’s.
There have been a number of developers who have also targeted their next projects to be boutique and smaller in size, focusing on inner suburban locations but away from the high rise nodes. Some have also diversified to commercial and mixed use, while others have focussed on age care or child care in an attempt to capture a share of a growth sector.
Some developers have even made the switch away from apartments and medium density to townhouse and land subdivisions as the market for this product has shown good positive signs in recent months.
A similar ripple effect has also taken place in the construction finance sector. In the previous year we saw most new projects placed by HoldenCAPITAL with the major banks and around 33 percent set with non-bank lenders. With the major banks effectively shutting their doors on many clients we have seen this balance shift significantly with nearly 66 percent of all transactions settled with the non-bank sector.
We have also seen a rise in the number of developers requiring swift finance solutions to secure sites having acquired the site, obtained their approvals and some even starting early works in an attempt to meet market demand only to be disappointed by their house banks declining the finance. While switching to a non-bank lender comes at a cost (between 2-4 percent in terms of the interest margin), many developers are finding that the time saved not having to secure the high presale commitments required by the banks (100 percent+ of the debt), enables them to start the project far sooner and to take advantage of selling to meet a current demand while constructing.
This massive shift toward non-bank finance is not a short term aberration and clients are finding that in many cases they have been much easier to deal with, require less constrictive terms and conditions and are capable of settling within quite short lead times. If you are finding that dealing with major banks stalling your project it might be time to see a construction finance expert and see what other options are available.
This article was written by Dan Holden of HoldenCAPITAL, who are a bespoke construction finance firm, they arrange construction finance and invest in projects through their equity fund, Queen Street INVEST. To discuss your project finance requirement please call (07) 3171 4200 or visit HoldenCAPITAL <a href="https://www.holdencapital.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>. <a href="https://www.holdencapital.com.au"></a>
 
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How developers face a changing property and finance market: HoldenCAPITAL

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A standalone retail and residential property in Kensington on the north-west fringe of Melbourne’s CBD is up for auction with expectations of more than $850,000. 
The 513 Macaulay Road property comprises a solid brick shop and dwelling of 136 square metres on a 103 square metre site zoned Commercial 1 with frontage to Macaulay Road and rear access via La Nauze Lane. 
It will be auctioned on June 30 through Teska Carson. The listing agents are Anthony Choi and Fergus Evans.
The retail and upstairs components have the potential to be accessed separately providing the ability to create separate tenancies.
Evans said he expected strong interest from investors looking to add a city fringe asset to their portfolio, and from owner-occupier/investors looking to move into the area.
“With interest rates low and returns from other asset classes somewhat less attractive we are seeing the smaller investor and self-managed super funds enter the market in much higher numbers and it’s properties such as this one in Kensington that have been prominent in sales results,’’ Evans said.
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Shop and dwelling in Melbourne’s Kensington to go under hammer

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South Sydney Rabbitoh's star Sam Burgess has pulled his Bondi Beach apartment from the market.
He's decided to hang on to the Bondi Pacific property and lease it.
"We had some great offers but Sam has decided to hang on to it and lease it," McGrath agent Edward Reid advised.
Burgess, who returned to the NRL at the start of this season, listed the off-the-plan apartment which he bought during his first stint with the Sydney club.
Following his return from England, the second-rower and wife Phoebe Hooke have instead upgraded to a $3.8 million, four bedroom home with large home theatre and pool in Maroubra.
He paid $2.065 million in 2011 and then listed for quietly in mid-March, for an undisclosed price of around $2.95 million.
The furnished second floor apartment has two bedrooms, an outdoor terrace and even a small lawn. The asking rent fully furnished through McGrath was $2500 a week. It was $1950 unfurnished.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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NRL star Sam Burgess pulls Bondi pad from market

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If you looked only at the generalised data excreted by research company computers, you’d think not much is going on in Adelaide.
According to one set of figures, house values are up 3.9 percent in annual terms and units 3.6 percent. But Adelaide is busier and more vibrant than those numbers indicate, particularly when you look at sales activity.
Adelaide started 2016 in solid fashion and continues to be one of the strongest city markets in the nation. The steady start to the year is encouraging, given that the March Quarter is typically the period that produces the smallest number of sales in the South Australian market.
Adelaide currently has more suburbs with rising sales momentum than Brisbane does, although it’s a smaller city, and considerably more than Sydney now does.
Generally, Adelaide had a solid year in 2015. Each of the four quarters had sales activity on a par with, or higher than, the corresponding period a year earlier. The June and September quarters were both substantially higher than the year before.
This continues a pattern of steadily rising sales over the past three years. In 2013 the SA market recorded between 7,000 and 7,500 dwelling sales per quarter. In 2014 sales rose above 8,000 per quarter and in 2015 every quarter was above 9,000 sales. The current year looks like continuing the pattern.
Our research for The Price Predictor Index shows that the growth suburbs in Adelaide are primarily middle-market areas and outer-ring precincts, with few top-end markets standing out.
The No.1 municipality is now the Port Adelaide Enfield LGA, one of the largest municipalities in Adelaide, covering the inner north and north-west of the city. Eight suburbs in this LGA having rising sales patterns, mostly suburbs with median house prices in the range from $380,000 to $510,000. They include Broadview, Northgate, Windsor Gardens and Largs Bay.
The Onkaparinga LGA, which always features as one of the strongest markets, has six growthsuburbs and six markets with steady sales activity in the far south of the Adelaide metropolitan area.
Many of the more active precincts are middle-market areas. The Charles Sturt LGA, which includes bayside suburbs like Henley Beach and West Beach, has seven suburbs with upward momentum. Growth markets include Findon, Kidman Park, Seaton and Semaphore Park.
The Tea Tree Gully LGA in the north-eastern suburbs stands out in most of our surveys as a highly consistent market. It now has six suburbs with steady sales patterns, plus five that are rising– including Hope Valley, Modbury and Ridgehaven.
The Holdfast Bay LGA has four Rising Steadily markets, including the bayside Glenelg suburbs and Somerton Park.
Another thing worth considering about Adelaide is the rental yields on offer. With negative gearing in the firing line in this long and boring Election campaign, cities that can offer higher rental yields become more appealing. If you borrow at 4 percent to buy a property returning 6 percent, negative gearing becomes a non-issue.
The cheaper precincts in the Adelaide metropolitan area provide houses with median yields between 6 percent and 7 percent. Areas that are slightly more expensive typically have yields in the 5.5 percent to 6 percent range.
 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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