<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Joel Robinson

Skymark takes out 10-year Resilience Insurance LDI at Solis Cronulla

Investors may soon find themselves with fewer reasons to buy established property and more incentives to look towards the new apartment market.

Proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions would see new and off-the-plan apartments retain access to the tax benefits, while established properties would miss out, creating a clear advantage for buyers purchasing newly built housing.

The policy direction aligns with what many developers have been saying for several years. Australia needs more housing supply, and governments are increasingly looking for ways to encourage investment into new stock rather than existing homes.

The challenge for investors is that suitable product is becoming harder to find.

For much of the last decade, one-bedroom apartments were the cornerstone of investor demand. They offered a lower entry price, strong rental appeal, and were a common feature across most apartment developments.

Today, the development pipeline looks very different.

Across both New South Wales and South East Queensland, developers are increasingly targeting owner-occupiers and downsizers, delivering larger two, three and four-bedroom apartments in response to changing buyer preferences. While one-bedroom apartments still exist, they now form a much smaller portion of many new projects.

That shift has created a shortage of investor-friendly stock, particularly in well-located projects close to transport, employment hubs and lifestyle amenity.

At the same time, rising apartment prices have pushed many new developments beyond the reach of traditional investors. On the Gold Coast and across South East Queensland, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find new apartments priced around the $1 million mark, particularly those offering strong rental fundamentals and long-term growth prospects.

We've rounded up four new apartment developments where investors can still secure a foothold in the market for around $1 million or less.

<h2 data-end="1140" data-start="844">Flourish Soleira</h2>

<h2>Priced from: $1.07 million</h2>

Popular Palm Beach developer Sherpa is soon to officially launch its newest local apartment development, Flourish Soleira.

The one-bedroom apartments in the building were only offered to first home buyers rather than investors, and all of those have been snapped up. The two-bedroom apartments will start from $1.07 million, and the three-bedrooms, still a good investment given the popularity of Palm Beach for owner-occupiers, starting at $2,045,000.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370964]

Flourish Soliera will comprise 153 apartments across two buildings, connected by a skybridge, the first ever delivered in the suburb.

True to Sherpa's booming Flourish brand of apartment projects, Flourish Soleira will have extensive rooftop amenity across both buildings including a&nbsp;wellness centre with gym, work from home, yoga, pilates, a&nbsp;heated pool, private dining rooms, pizza oven and barbecues, basketball court, and golf simulator.

<h2>Corallo, Palm Beach</h2>

Priced from: $841,500

Nearby Flourish Soleira is Changfa Group's beachfront-inspired Corallo development. They still have some one-bedroom apartments remaining, priced from $841,500.

The 105-apartment project on Palm Beach Avenue is otherwise dominated by larger two and three-bedroom residences, many of which are aimed at owner-occupiers and downsizers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112194 project_image_fid=808]

For investors, the appeal lies in Palm Beach's continued transformation from a laid-back beachside suburb into one of the Gold Coast's most sought-after residential markets. Residents at Corallo will be within walking distance of Palm Beach's surf beaches, the recreational amenity of Tallebudgera Creek, and the increasingly popular collection of cafes, restaurants and boutique retailers along the suburb's central dining precinct.

<h2>Corner House, Stones Corner</h2>

<h2>Priced from: $880,000</h2>

One of only two Brisbane apartment developments to make the list with prices under $1 million is DeMartini Fletcher's Corner House development in Stones Corner.

One-bedroom apartments start from $880,000 within the 88-apartment development, providing investors with exposure to one of Brisbane's most established inner-south locations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149098 project_image_fid=330594]

Stones Corner has long been supported by strong tenant demand due to its proximity to major employment and education destinations. The suburb sits less than five kilometres from Brisbane's CBD and is within easy reach of the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Queensland Children's Hospital and several university campuses.

The project's location within a walkable urban village environment, surrounded by retail, dining and public transport infrastructure, continues to attract both professionals and healthcare workers seeking accommodation close to work.

Parkdrive Apartments, Chermside

Priced from: $749,000

The most affordable apartments across Brisbane's new and off the plan market are in Chermside where developer AusDev is selling one-bedroom apartments from $749,000, and two-beds from $929,000, at its recently launched Parkdrive development.

The development is strategically positioned in one of Brisbane's largest employment and retail precincts, placing residents within easy walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, St Vincent's Private Hospital Northside and the suburb's major bus interchange.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Already under construction and scheduled for completion in early 2028, Parkdrive benefits from Chermside's ongoing evolution into Brisbane's northern metropolitan centre. The suburb continues to attract significant public and private investment, supporting population growth and underpinning long-term rental demand.

For investors focused on yield and tenant depth, the combination of healthcare, retail and transport infrastructure within close proximity provides a strong foundation for occupancy and rental performance.

Investors to turn to new apartments after Federal Government changes spark hunt for Queensland's best $1 million apartments

A mix of Gold Coast locals, fly-in, fly-out purchasers from Sydney and Melbourne, and Brisbane-based families has driven early sales success at Broadbeach's newest apartment tower, Lumara.

The 26-level project, a joint venture between builder-developer 5Point Projects and Bourke Projects, comprises just 37 luxury residences and is attracting a buyer profile that is looking for exclusivity, above the most amenity-rich suburb on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150454 project_image_fid=364156]

Jamie Bourke, Director of Bourke Projects, says every buyer secured so far intends to use Lumara as a lock-up-and-leave residence, combining holiday use with the ability to work remotely when required.

“The size of the apartments, both half- and full-floor options, and the different zones within the floorplans, lends itself perfectly to dedicated home office setups and multi-generational family holidays,” Bourke says.

That flexibility has become a key drawcard for affluent buyers seeking a second residence on the Gold Coast without sacrificing the ability to conduct business away from their primary home base.

The absence of holiday letting within the building has also resonated strongly with purchasers.

“This type of buyer doesn't need to generate holiday rental income,” Bourke says. “They're paying for exclusivity, privacy and certainty around who their neighbours are.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150454 project_image_fid=366491]

The strong demand comes amid broader shifts in the high-end apartment market following the Federal Budget announcements in May.

“We were already seeing strong enquiry from high-net-worth buyers, but that has only accelerated since the policy changes,” Bourke says.

“A lot of those buyers are looking to place more capital into premium lifestyle assets rather than investment-grade stock that has been targeted by the Federal Government.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150454 project_image_fid=366486]

Designed by Cottee Parker, Lumara adopts a slender, sculpted form with an emphasis on natural materials suited to its beachfront setting. The architectural approach draws on coastal influences, with a palette of stone, timber and concrete selected for durability and the ability to weather over time.

Apartments are limited to three and four-bedroom configurations, with a maximum of two residences per floor through the mid-levels and a selection of full-floor and dual-level homes in the upper levels. All apartments are oriented to the north to maximise natural light, cross-ventilation and views across the ocean, city skyline and hinterland.

A two-level amenity offering is positioned high within the building on levels 20 and 21, conceived as a sky wellness retreat. Facilities include a magnesium pool, spa, sauna and steam rooms, alongside more social spaces such as a private dining room, resident lounge, workspaces and outdoor barbecue areas integrated with landscaped greenery.

The uppermost levels are reserved for larger-format residences, including several full-floor homes and a dual-level penthouse with its own private wellness features and recreational spaces.

&nbsp;

To give buyers confidence, 5Point and Bourke commenced construction ahead of the apartments launching to the market, a sure-fire way to prove they mean business, and the building will be delivered. They are targeting a 2028 completion date.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150454]

Locals, interstate holiday makers, drive early sales at Lumara, Broadbeach's newest luxury apartment tower

Often when it comes to purchasing property, the biggest barrier to entry is the deposit. Buyers of established homes typically aim for a 20 per cent deposit to avoid the added cost of Lenders Mortgage Insurance, while most property transactions require around a 10 per cent deposit when contracts are exchanged.

The off-the-plan market works differently, with buyers typically paying a deposit during construction and settling the balance upon completion. As completion approaches at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/fabbrica-fitzroy-369-gore-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">Fabbrica Fitzroy</a>, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pace-development-group">Pace</a> is making it easier for buyers to secure a residence through a deposit-matching incentive. Purchasers need only contribute a five per cent deposit*, with Pace matching the remaining five per cent.

The offer comes as Pace unveils a completed display apartment and townhouse, now available for inspection by appointment ahead of the project's Spring completion.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371009]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/winwood-mckenzie-architecture">Winwood Mckenzie</a> and landscaping by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/acre">Acre</a>, Fabbrica draws on Fitzroy’s industrial and manufacturing history, incorporating references to the former Argyle Shirt Factory and Life Savers Confectionery Company that once occupied the site.

The development comprises 85 residences, spanning low-maintenance apartments through to larger-format townhouses with private street access and double lock-up garages, a relatively uncommon offering in Fitzroy’s higher-density apartment market.

Pace says the project has been designed to appeal to buyers seeking inner-city convenience without sacrificing space, flexibility, or amenity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371016]

Inside the residences, Winwood Mckenzie has focused on adaptable layouts and integrated detailing, with features including custom joinery, and concealed storage solutions. The material palette leans into warm, tactile finishes intended to complement the building’s industrial architectural language.

Fabbrica’s rooftop amenity is a key part of the project offering. Spanning around 800 sqm, the communal rooftop includes a private dining room, communal kitchen, lounge spaces, work-from-home zones, and outdoor dining areas overlooking the Melbourne CBD skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371017]

Landscape architecture studio Acre has introduced a layered rooftop garden designed to soften the urban setting while creating a more communal environment for residents.

The Fitzroy location also positions residents within walking distance of Brunswick Street, Smith Street, parks, cafés, galleries, and public transport, while remaining only minutes from Melbourne’s CBD. The project has an enviable Walk Score of 96.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371025]

Pace, which is also delivering the project as builder, has developed more than 100 projects across Melbourne over the past three decades. The vertically integrated approach has become increasingly common among developers seeking greater control over construction delivery amid broader market pressures affecting the apartment sector.

The strikingly contemporary Gore Street development is now around 70 per cent complete, with purchasers expected to move into their new homes in Spring 2026. A limited number of residences remain available under the current deposit match offer.

*Conditions apply in relation to the deposit match offer.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=139552]

Pace offers five per cent deposit match at Fabbrica Fitzroy ahead of Spring completion

Sydney developer Hyecorp's roots on the Lower North Shore stretch back three generations, and that deep understanding of the market continues to shape where and how it develops today.

From high-rise towers to boutique apartment projects, the family-run developer has built its reputation by focusing on a part of Sydney it knows intimately. Founded by Michael Abolakian in the early 1990s, Hyecorp is now led by his sons Stephen, Troy and Patrick.

Stephen Abolakian, joint managing director alongside Troy, has spent more than two decades in the business, overseeing development, planning, finance, marketing and sales.

Abolakian says the developer's disciplined focus on where it chooses to operate has been, and continues to be, one of Hyecorp's greatest strengths.

“We know the buyer profile exceptionally well,” Abolakian says.

“The demographics between places like Willoughby, Chatswood, St Leonards and Roseville are very similar. There are nuances between suburbs and projects, but culturally and from a buyer perspective, there’s a strong overlap.”

That buyer has historically been overwhelmingly owner-occupier driven.

Unlike many Sydney apartment developers that have traditionally relied heavily on investor demand, Hyecorp’s projects have typically attracted downsizers, upsizers, rightsizers and family owner-occupiers seeking long-term homes rather than short-term investments.

“Historically, investors have been a much smaller portion of our demand profile,” Abolakian says.

“We design for owner-occupiers. We don’t design for yield, we design for comfort, amenity, family living and long-term usability.”

That philosophy extends well beyond apartment layouts.

From landscaping and communal gardens to shared amenities and circulation spaces, Hyecorp’s developments are designed around how people actually live, something Abolakian believes has become increasingly important in Sydney’s apartment market.

“There was probably a period where having an approved project in market was enough,” he says.

“There wasn’t as much competition and if you built it, buyers would come. That’s no longer the case.”

“There’s more supply in the pipeline now, particularly with TOD precincts and low and mid-rise reforms opening up opportunities across Sydney. Buyers have more choice, so if you get the product wrong, they’ll simply go elsewhere.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110379 project_image_fid=311393]

The shift has forced developers to become more sophisticated in how they approach apartment design, particularly as owner-occupier expectations continue to rise.

For Hyecorp, that means thinking beyond who the buyer is today and designing for who they may become in five or 10 years' time.

“People buying now often aren’t moving in for several years,” Abolakian says.

“You might have a young couple buying today, but by the time they move in they may have children, older children, or changing lifestyle needs. You’ve got to think about how families evolve.”

That thinking also shapes Hyecorp’s approach to amenity, which positions wellness at the forefront.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149594 project_image_fid=362634]

While resort-style facilities have become increasingly common marketing tools across Sydney apartment developments, Abolakian says the challenge is ensuring amenities are genuinely usable and appropriate for the scale of the project.

“If amenities are done right, they can materially improve the living experience,” he says, adding however that if you&nbsp;overdo it or get it wrong, you can end up with facilities nobody uses that simply create ongoing strata costs.”

That balance is something Hyecorp is aiming to strike with projects like Roseville Avenue, one of the group's upcoming Lower North Shore developments, which Abolakian describes as bringing a resort-style living experience into a metropolitan setting.

“It’s about creating something that feels special without being excessive,” he says.

“Good gardens, quality apartments, thoughtful amenity. Creating that resort feeling in a metro location.”

<img alt="Hyecorp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="13c4c0f3-b1b7-44cf-9344-0b3d1d07797a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-02%20at%2012.14.57%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=9OLWjyj2bYkDV35F78WJnyMSPfc2bJ2z" />

The focus on owner-occupier product comes as Sydney’s apartment market continues to navigate a difficult development environment.&nbsp;For Hyecorp, maintaining an in-house operating model across construction, sales, marketing and development management has become increasingly important in navigating that environment.

“We’ve always believed in keeping a lot of the process in-house,” Abolakian says.

“It creates efficiencies, but it also creates quality control. You can make faster decisions and ensure the end product stays aligned with the original vision.”

Despite the challenges, Abolakian believes demand for quality owner-occupier apartments across Sydney remains strong beneath the surface, particularly across established Lower North Shore suburbs where downsizers continue to seek new housing options close to existing communities.

“There are definitely people waiting,” he says.

“Once some of the broader uncertainty settles, whether that’s the global environment or some of the local economic noise, I think the right projects will perform very strongly.”

Hyecorp currently has three residential developments on the market across Sydney’s Lower North Shore.&nbsp;Audrey, St Leonards, positioned opposite Newlands Park, is nearing completion and preparing to welcome its first residents, with the project now almost sold out.

Hyecorp has also recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/celine-chatswood-37-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">Celine Chatswood</a>, an architectural tower, while continuing to deliver&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/juliet-roseville-64-pacific-highway-roseville-nsw-2069">Juliet Roseville</a>, a more boutique scale of development with just 34 apartments.

Why Hyecorp continues to back Sydney's Lower North Shore apartment market

Residential Property

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Dear Margaret,
I wonder if you can help I don't really know we're to start, we live in South Australia and my mother wants to transfer her home over to me.
 I have been living and caring for my mother for 16 years after my father died. What would be the cost to transfer the house to me? What do I need to do?
Ellen 
Dear Ellen 
When someone thinks of property and tax, they normally think about the relationship that those two have for investors, and the impact of taxation rules on property investors. 
However there are many aspects of tax law which become applicable to owner occupiers or owners of property which are not rented out which are often overlooked. This can create a real tax nightmare at a later date.
It may seem that transferring a home into the name of a child is a simple matter, however it can have far reaching consequences which must be thought through before it occurs.
The first consideration is stamp duty. Where a family transfer occurs, the only transfer which is exempt from stamp duty is between spouses.  Generally, a transfer from a parent to a child will attract stamp duty, levied on the market value of the home, even if no money changes hands on the transaction.
The second consideration is tax.  While there is no tax to pay on this transfer, since it was your mother’s principal place of residence, in some cases of family transfer, where the property was an investment property for the parents, capital gains tax responsibilities can pass to the child along with the property.
In your case, being in South Australia, the transfer of the property will attract stamp duty pursuant the Stamp Duties Act 1923 (SA). As you are receiving the property, this must be paid by you. The stamp duty payable on the transfer will be charged ad valorem, which means that it will be charged based on the market value of the interest transferred. So the amount of the stamp duty payable will depend on the value of the property.
You can get a lawyer to draw up a document which allows this transfer – a contract for sale should not be necessary, and that lawyer can also arrange for the transfer.  So, in addition to paying the stamp duty, you will pay for the legal costs of both drawing up the agreement to transfer the land plus any government and statutory charges applicable in your state for the title transfer.
Have a property question?  <a href="mailto:%20&lt;script%20type='text/javascript'&gt;%20/n%20&lt;/script&gt;&lt;script%20type='text/javascript'&gt;%20%20&lt;/script&gt;This%20email%20address%20is%20being%20protected%20from%20spambots.%20You%20need%20JavaScript%20enabled%20to%20view%20it.%20&lt;script%20type='text/javascript'&gt;%20%20&lt;/script&gt;" target="_blank">Ask Margaret!</a>
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mlomas-KC9MUPZ6Ca

Transferring a property to a sibling: Ask Margaret

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Earlier this week I was sitting amid 30-degree heat in South-east Queensland, noting that some parts of Australia had 40 degrees and others had 20, while speaking by phone to a Tasmanian friend who had just lit a fire amid wintry conditions.
Imagine our reaction if a TV weather presenter took an average of weather conditions around the nation and announced that “the temperature in Australia today was 25 degrees”.
Clearly that would be ludicrous. But every day in media, economists and other commentators take that kind of position on residential real estate. They reduce this very large and diverse nation to a single market to be described by a single figure: “Australia house prices rose 8 percent in the past 12 months.”
From that one figure which so inaccurately describes Australian residential property, they will extrapolate myriad conclusions: there’s a national property boom, prices are too high, there’s a real estate bubble in Australia, the nation is vulnerable and young people are being left behind.
The big-name ratings agencies like Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s take it a big stride further. They will access narrow data from a single source, often based on a single month’s alleged price movements, and use that to justify a press statement warning about “Australian house prices” getting out of hand.
Moody’s recently dashed off a media release warning that “resurgent housing prices” in Australia were eroding affordability, because “housing prices had risen 2.7 percent across Australia” in September. But prices hadn’t increased across Australia – the average for the capital cities had risen that much, according to one source, whose figures were contradicted by several other sources – not forgetting the notoriously erratic nature of month-to-month changes which are ignored by credible researchers. 
The lack of expertise and sophistication evident in these statements is quite startling, given the lofty reputations of the big brand-name entities making them. It really is very flimsy analysis and shallow behaviour, based not on a desire to inform but on a need to generate publicity. 
I had a call earlier this week from an ACT-based journalist wanting to discuss the market in Canberra which, he said, was going crazy “like everywhere else in Australia”. We’re entitled to expect people paid to write about real estate to have better knowledge than that. Everywhere is not going crazy in real estate and certainly Canberra is not (annual house price growth averages around 4 percent, according to three major research entities).
But that’s a common assessment I hear from all kinds of people daily. Many Australians really do believe what they read and hear: that there’s a national property boom, that prices are through the roof everywhere and no one can afford to buy.
I fear for consumers making big financial decisions based on such skinny knowledge, while wading through a sea of misinformation.
The different scenarios being played out in the thousands of markets around the country include a small number of strongly rising ones, a far greater number of mediocre ones, some with prices going backwards and a few where the local market has crashed.
Economists clearly believe there’s a national boom because interest rates are at record lows and that, in their minds, means real estate should be rising everywhere. And therefore it is.
But it isn’t. And that reality would suggest to an inquiring mind that the level of interest rates perhaps is not the over-riding factor.
In my view, the most significant factors are the underlying local economic conditions and the level of spending on infrastructure.
It is not coincidence that the No.1 ranked economy is NSW and that the city with the biggest infrastructure spend, by a wide margin, is Sydney. That’s been the case for the past three years, a time during which most markets across metropolitan Sydney have had strong price growth.
The No.2 ranked economy is Victoria, helped by strong population growth, and the infrastructure spend is reasonable, though well below Sydney’s. Not coincidentally, Melbourne has been the second strongest city market on price growth, though at levels well below the genuine boom levels of 2001-02-03.
The economies impacting Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart have largely been mediocre and infrastructure spending has been relatively weak in recent years. That’s reflected in the absence of price growth to match Sydney’s.
It is, again, not coincidence that the recent rise of prospects for Hobart real estate has happened alongside an improving state economy and sharply rising spending on infrastructure in Tasmania. 
Adelaide, too, is showing signs of an improving market, supported by solid economic and real estate indicators and significantly rising spending on infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Western Australia now ranks in CommSec’s State of the States report as the worst economy in the land and Perth has the weakest of the city real estate markets. The Northern Territory is also faltering and Darwin’s property market is in a similar condition to Perth’s. Prices in both cities have been going backwards for three years and record low interest rates have not helped them.
Beyond the capital cities, there are multiple different scenarios in the many thousands of different markets.
Some, including regional centres close to Sydney, have had periods of solid price growth. Others, like both the Gold and Sunshine Coasts in Queensland, have had elevated activity without yet delivering major price escalation 
Most regional markets, however, have been walking rather than running – and several, notably those impacted by the resources sector, have experienced significant decline.
We’re a massive nation and the real estate conditions are as diverse as the range of temperatures you’ll see on a weather map on the evening television news.
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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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Most regional markets walking rather than running

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The Trump name is synomomous with high end apartments.
But some of the residents have had reservations of late.
Some residents in the Trump Place apartment complex, located on Manhattan's famous Upper West Side, have even petitioned to change the name of the property built by Donald Trump.
More than 360 people have signed the online petition urging landlord Equity Residential to "Dump the Trump Name."
With most of the residents facing the Hudson River, it houses more than 1300 residents and carries large gold letters spelling out the name of the property.
The signatories of the petition have asked to change the name to either 140, 160 or 180 Riverside Boulevard.
It's been argued by Linda Gottlieb, one of the residents of the building and the creator of the petition, that the Trump name doesn't represent those who live and work inside.
Their complaints since the start of Trumps presidential campaign have yielded some movement.
A member of the building's staff is said to have suggested that maintenance and concierge workers were being fitted for new uniforms that don't bear the Trump name.
One resident remarked that she signed the petition because “it’s embarrassing to tell people where you live”.
Other properties that Trump have designed includes the Trump Tower, Trump Wollman Rink and the Trump Golf Links.
Trump Tower, New York City on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, home to Donald Trump's main offices, and has also acted as the headquarters for his presidential campaign.
Completed in 1983, the tower was designed by American architect Der Scutt. It is distinguished by a stepped corner planted with trees, which manifests as a zig-zagging facade above.
Bloomberg recently compiled an extensive list of the building’s past and present occupant.
From floors 66 to 68 the Republican presidential nominee occupies the top floors of his namesake tower, hidden behind a grand entryway gilded in gold and diamonds.
The palatial penthouse, Bloomberg reports, takes a tip from Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi: “One reason Trump’s triplex is so vast, he has written, is a trip he took to...Khashoggi’s condo nearby, where he stepped into a living room bigger than his own.” Trump, who has the best temperament, wanted to level up with a Saudi arms dealer. 
On 62 and 63 is the real estate investor Guido Lombardi is a self-proclaimed Italian count and Trump supporter.
Art dealer Hillel Nahmad, of the Nahmad collecting dynasty, has been buying up apartments on the 51st floor of Trump Tower since at least 1999, when he paid $2.5 million for Unit 51J. Years, and millions, later, Nahmad amassed the entire floor for a total $18.4 million. Nahmad was sent to prison for five months in 2014 for running a high-stakes gambling ring.
For a list of the colorful characters who formerly purchased in the building, including Andrew Lloyd Weber and Haitian dictator “Baby Doc” Duvalier, read it at<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-trump-tower/" target="_blank"> Bloomberg</a>.
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Residents of Trump Place petition to have property name changed

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Tighter lending to investors is tipped to soften the Australian residential property market during the next three years, improving affordability and creating opportunities for owner occupiers, according to QBE’s Housing Outlook 2016-19.
The QBE commissioned BIS Shrapnel report, now in its 15th year, is an annual overview of the Australian housing market and forecast movements.
Brisbane is forecast to experience the highest house price growth of the three largest capital cities to June 2019, while Brisbane unit prices are expected to fall by a cumulative 8.2 percent in the same period.
Sydney house prices are tipped to remain flat in the period to June 2019, while unit prices are forecast to fall 6.8 percent cumulatively during the next three years.
Melbourne house and unit prices are forecast to decline, with units expected to decline by a total of 9 percent to June 2019, according to the report.
Nationally, slowing rental and price growth is likely to contain investor appetite for residential property, and recent tightening in bank lending policy towards overseas investors will also slow overall investor demand, the QBE Housing Outlook finds.
QBE Lenders’ mortgage insurance chief executive officer Phil White said it was a fascinating time to be looking at the Australian residential property and mortgage market. 
“Prices are forecast to soften through the three years to 2019, which is likely to be positive for housing affordability.”
Fewer investors are now entering the market due to banks tightening lending criteria. In 2015/16 investors accounted for 44 percent of all residential loans, compared to 51 percent in 2014/15, according to the report.
“It’s expected owner occupiers, including first home buyers, will be stepping in to pick up some of this opportunity in the market.”
Phil White said meeting the long-term demand for housing with the limited availability of land in most of our capital cities, will remain a significant challenge for State and Territory governments and underpin long-term property prices.
Sydney
Sydney's median house price reached $1.048m at June 2016 and is forecast to rise by 1.7 percent to $1.065m by mid-2017 before decreasing to $1.055m by June 2018 and $1.050m by June 2019, resulting in median house price growth being effectively flat by the end of the forecast period.
Price growth in the Sydney unit market has been below that of the house market. Sydney’s median unit price rose by an estimated 41 percent in the four years to June 2016. However, price growth has already started to flatten with the median unit price growing by just 3 percent in 2015/16.
Sydney’s median unit price growth is forecast to fall 1.8 percent in 2016/17 and cumulatively by 6.8 percent during the three years to June 2019 to a median unit price of $680,000.
Melbourne
The underlying demand and continued growth of the Melbourne house market has been underpinned by a strong population increase, with Victoria recording a net boost of 11,000 people in the year to June 2016. This population growth has continued to maintain a deficiency of dwellings in the Melbourne market despite continued growth in new dwelling supply.
Melbourne will see dwelling completions peak in 2016/17. Short term population growth is expected to ease and a 0.6 percent price decline in the median house price is forecast for the period ending 2018/19.
Record levels of unit completions and a strong project pipeline are expected to affect Melbourne’s median unit price, which is forecast to decline by a total of 9 percent to June 2019.
Brisbane
Moderate house price growth in Brisbane during the past four years is in line with Queensland’s challenging economic conditions. Without strong employment drivers, Queensland is not expected to be able to capitalise on Brisbane’s affordability advantage over Sydney and Melbourne.
Nevertheless, an overall dwelling deficiency should help to support Brisbane’s median house price that is forecast to rise by 6.5 percent to June 2019, the highest price growth during this period of the three largest capitals.
Perth
After peaking in December 2014, Perth’s median house price declined by 5.6 percent in the eighteen months to June 2016. Mining investment is now greatly reduced and economic conditions have weakened. Perth’s median house price is forecast to decline by 3 percent to June 2018 while the forecast median house price at June 2019 is expected to be 10% below its 2014 peak.
Overall, the Perth market is expected to weaken across both housing and unit markets. The median unit price was down by 6.5 percent to June 2016 with further declines totalling 6 percent forecast in 2016/17 and 2017/18 before prices decrease further to June 2019.
Adelaide
The median house price in Adelaide is forecast for limited growth of around 0.9 percent in 2017/18 and an overall decline of 1.3 percent is forecast by June 2019. Adelaide’s unit and apartment market is expected to remain relatively flat during the next three years declining a total of 0.6 percent to June 2019, moving in line with the forecast for house prices.
Hobart
Hobart’s median house price is forecast to rise around 4% per annum or at a cumulative rate of 12.5 percent by June 2019. With investor activity declining, the softness in the unit market is expected to continue to dampen demand, limiting median unit price growth to between 1 percent and 2 percent per annum through to 2018/19.
Darwin
Darwin’s median house price is forecast to decline by 6.3 percent by June 2019. Median unit prices are expected to decline by 4 percent in 2016/17 followed by further declines of 4 percent and 2 percent in subsequent years to take the median unit price 10% lower by June 2019.
Canberra
Canberra’s median house price is forecast to rise by 3.5 percent in 2016/17 with a further growth of 2.4 percent and 2.3 percent in the two years to June 2019. In contrast, the median unit price fell 2.6 percent in 2016 and a further downside of 4 percent is forecast in 2016/17 and 2018/19 by which time the dwelling supply is expected to peak and be absorbed by June 2019.
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Brisbane houses top QBE price growth forecast, but units tipped to fall: QBE Housing Outlook 2016-19

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Film producer and director Julian Smith has listed his Darling Point sub-penthouse.
He's returning to Melbourne to write, direct and produce a television show described as the automative equivalent to Grand Designs.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-nsw-darling+point-123660570" target="_blank">The three bedroom, two bathroom apartment</a> offers Harbour views from the lounge, kitchen, dining and balcony spaces.
It's in a block of just 10 units, best known as the long-time residence of the late former PM Gough Whitlam and wife Margaret.
Smith has owned there since 2007 when he paid $1,135,000 and renovated in 2009.
Laing &amp; Simmons Woollahra agent John Knott has an October 18 auction date for the property.
After selling his ad agency, Julian produced and directed several Australian and US TV shows and films. 
The automotive series, to be titled Brian Tanti’s Workshop will be focusing on Brian’s world-class restoration skills in respect of classic cars, shooting out of Brian’s workshop in Melbourne’s Docklands.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Director Julian Smith lists Darling Point sub-penthouse

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Half of the properties featured on the Top Ten Nationwide Discounted Properties from SQM Research for this week are in Perth and the price of a Victorian Greyhound kennel has been reduced 33 percent since listing.
Louis Christopher, SQM research managing director said house and unit prices have been falling for some time in Perth, as have rents.
"Elsewhere, there are bargains," he said.
"The fully functioning Greyhound kennel in the small Victorian township of Tooradin is still on the market despite a 33 percent reduction in price, with no buyers emerging from NSW where greyhound owners are still coming to terms with the racing ban there.
"Properties in Western Australia still account for five out of the 10 on the list, as the mining downturn slowly erodes what remaining wealth there is there in property in that state.
<a href="/images/2016/09/28/Screen%20Shot%202016-09-28%20at%203.52.42%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
 
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Perth property price decline continues: SQM Research

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Top two sales over the past week, for states and territories for the week ending 25 September, according to CoreLogic.
Australian Capital Territory 
10 Cockle Street, O’Conner, ACT 6 bed, 4 bath, 3 car house $1,950,000 Independent Property Group Gungahlin 
37 Coolibah Crescent, O’Conner, ACT 5 bed, 2 bath, 2 car house $1,425,000 LJ Hooker Dickson 
New South Wales 
30 Bronte Marine Drive, Bronte, NSW 4 bed, 2 bath, 3 car house $7,350,000 Phillips Pantzer Donnelley Woollahra 
26 Gold Street, Blakehurst, NSW 5 bed, 4 bath, 4 car house $4,100,000 Belle Property South Hurstville
Northern Territory 
61 Gsell Street, Wanguri, NT 4 bed, 2 bath, 2 car house $615,000 Ray White Darwin 
4 Finlayson Street, Gillen, NT 3 bed, 2 bath, 3 car house $492,500 Elders Real Estate Alice Springs 
Queensland 
121 Towers Street, Ascot, Qld 4 bed, 3 bath, 2 car house $2,300,000 Ngu Real Estate East Brisbane 
586 Lower Bowen Terrace, New Farm, Qld 4 bed, 3 bath, 2 car house $2,100,000 Ray White New Farm 
South Australia 
29 Glenburnie Avenue, Torrens Park, SA 5 bed, 3 bath, 4 car house $1,586,000 Harcourts Platinum 
48 Howard Street, Beulah Park, SA 5 bed, 3 bath, 3 car house $1,368,000 Ouwens Casserly Adelaide 
Tasmania 
58 Lyttleton Street, East Launceston, Tas 4 bed, 2 bath, 2 car house $745,000 Sims for Property Launceston 
49 Bayside Drive, Lauderdale, Tas 4 bed, 2 bath, 2 car house $740,000 Knight Frank Hobart 
Victoria 
107 Mont Albert Road, Canterbury, Vic 4 bed, 1 bath, 2 car house $6,290,000 Jellis Craig Boroondara Group 
15 Howitt Street, Glen Iris, Vic 4 bed, 3 bath, 2 car house $3,010,000 Kay Burton Hawthorn 
Western Australia 
36 Balikpapan Avenue, Dianella, WA 5 bed, 2 bath, 2 car house $1,200,000 Excellence Property Specialists 
5/26 Renwick Street, South Perth, WA 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car unit $900,000 Porter Matthews Metro Belmont 
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Top two sales over the past week across Australia: CoreLogic

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One new property has been added to the Top Ten Nationwide Discounted Properties list by SQM Research, this one in Western Australia.
SQM Research managing director Louis Christopher said the commodities downturn means several of the properties are in WA, as the mining downturn depresses demand for property there.
"House and unit prices have been falling for some time in Perth," he said.
"Despite the buoyancy in east coast property markets, Victorian properties also appear on the list, including one in the Docklands and another in the small Victorian township of Tooradin which has a fully functioning Greyhound kennel - brave buyers from NSW may be interested in this one. "
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New Perth property on SQM's discounted list

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Gowrie House, Glenroy, once owned by a Phar Lap jockey, has been listed for sale.
The heritage-listed 1855 bluestone home was owned by one of the six jockeys who ever rode Phar Lap, Bobbie Lewis. He rode Phar Lap to third place in the 1929 Melbourne Cup.
He won four Melbourne Cups, eight Victoria Derbies, seven Crown Oaks and eight SAJC St Legers in a career spanning more than 40 years.
Inducted into the Victoria Racing Club’s Hall of Fame in 2002, the Bobbie Lewis Quality Handicap is run at Flemington every year in September.
His former home at 63 Gowrie Street, is listed at $2.1 million.
The two-level slate roofed Georgian-style property is on 1500 sqm is offered through Boran Real Estate Sunshine agent Sabine Gazic.
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Bluestone with racing history at Glenroy

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The NSW Central Coast house market is peaking along with Melbourne and Newcastle, according to the August property clock from Herron Todd White.
HTW's monthly report found Newcastle and Lake Macquarie suburbs sustained periods of growth for residential property over the last two years, despite new release subdivision in Fern Bay, Cameron Park and Fletcher.
Houses in Melbourne, the NSW Central Coast, Dubbo and QLD's Gold Coast were at market peak in July, according to Herron Todd White.
<a href="/images/2016/08/12/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-12%20at%2011.14.33%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/08/12/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-12%20at%2011.14.33%20AM.png" alt="">
"There are also smaller estates dotted throughout Newcastle and in particular Lake Macquarie, with Catherine Hill Bay and Trinity Point at Morisset adding to the available stock," HTW said.
"This can be put down to a number of factors including incentives for rst home buyers to build, interstate migrants coming from the more expensive Sydney market and speculative out of town investors looking to add to their rental portfolios. 
"Demand for residential properties within close proximity to the beach is one of the major drivers in the Melbourne market.
"This can be seen by the high prices at which properties are sold in suburbs along the south eastern coastline such as Brighton, Elwood and Hampton. Brighton’s median house price is $2.715 million, Elwood’s is $1.9 million, while Hampton’s is $1.765 million. 
"NSW's Central Coast has seen a sustained period of growth and demand for real estate, which has nothing to do with the recent amalgamation of the former Gosford City and Wyong Shire Councils into one big Local Government Area – the ingeniously named Central Coast Council, but everything to do with price and proximity.
"When broken down a little further, the diversity of property seen on the coast covers all wants, tastes and needs at pricing levels which are more than favourable to those seen in the Sydney metropolitan area and it’s just a short drive up the M1 Motorway to Sydney.
"First home buyers make up a big part of the economic base on the coast."
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