Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

Joel Robinson

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

&nbsp;

Developer GURNER™ Group has revealed $1.65 billion in residential sales nationally across the 12 months to December 2025, driven largely by the continued momentum of its Docklands wellness-focused precinct, Elysium Fields.

The sales result was generated across seven projects in Victoria and New South Wales, headlined by Elysium Fields, GURNER™’s $2.75 billion mixed-use precinct planned for Harbour Esplanade in Docklands.

The project has recorded more than $500 million in sales across the first three towers, equating to around 580 apartments sold.

The first tower, Helios, has now sold out of its 240 private residences, with GURNER™ preparing to release a premium penthouse collection comprising 15 three-bedroom penthouses in coming weeks.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370975]

Elysium Fields is being developed on the long-held 20,000 sqm Docklands site at 208-226 Harbour Esplanade, which had remained undeveloped for more than two decades prior to GURNER™ taking over the project around four years ago.

Construction has now commenced across four towers ranging between 18 and 30 storeys, with Hamilton Marino and Maxcon appointed as builders.

Once complete, the precinct is expected to comprise around 1,100 residences, alongside retail, hospitality and public realm uses integrated throughout the site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370981]

Designed by Fraser &amp; Partners in collaboration with GURNER™ Design House, the project has been positioned around the developer’s broader focus on wellness-led residential living.

“We don’t sell apartments. We create a true luxury lifestyle that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere in the market today,” Founder and Executive Chairman Tim Gurner said.

“To deliver that requires an extraordinary level of detail, coordination and discipline across multiple verticals, from design and hospitality through to wellness and service.”

“We’ve always believed that living extends far beyond the physical residence. It’s about how you feel the moment you arrive, how you live day-to-day, and the ecosystem that supports that.” 
[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370977]

The project’s design places a heavy focus on landscaping, wellness amenities and biophilic design principles.

Plans include around 3,700 sqm of landscaped gardens and open space throughout the precinct, alongside a retail and dining offering spanning approximately 5,000 sqm.

The broader public realm strategy centres around what GURNER™ describes as the “Path of Life”, an urban forest and landscaped pedestrian environment intended to connect the various buildings and wellness spaces across the precinct.

The apartments themselves will incorporate a range of wellness-focused inclusions, including purified air and water systems, circadian lighting, antimicrobial surfaces, and optional in-home wellness upgrades.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370980]

Gurner said the company’s experience through its Saint Haven wellness clubs had directly informed the residential offering now being incorporated into Elysium Fields.

“We’re seeing a clear global shift toward longevity, performance and proactive health,” Gurner said.

“Our role is to deliver that in a way that feels seamless, highly private and beautifully resolved within the environments we create.”

A large component of the wellness offering is planned through the resident amenity and health facilities proposed within the precinct.

That includes plans for bathing and recovery facilities spread throughout the towers, incorporating mineral pools, saunas, steam rooms, flotation therapy, red light therapy and wellness lounges.

The developer is also seeking approvals for what it describes as a “reverse ageing medical clinic” within the precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370978]

According to project information released by the group, the proposed facility would include cryotherapy, IV infusion therapy, infrared and dry saunas, PEMF beds, MRIs, DEXA scans, brain scans and blood analysis services.

Within the first tower, Helios, residents will also have access to a dedicated amenity offering known as the Sky Private Club.

The upper 15 levels of the building will include private lounges, dining spaces, rooftop amenities and optional private wellness studios integrated within residences.

The Helios tower itself comprises 260 apartments ranging between 60 sqm and 300 sqm, including a collection of penthouses.

That includes a planned two-storey penthouse spanning around 600 sqm with uninterrupted bay views.

The Elysium Fields precinct is being delivered in partnership with Digital Harbour Holdings, a consortium that includes the Liberman family, which controls the development rights across the Docklands site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370979]

The sales result comes as GURNER™ continues expanding its national development pipeline beyond Victoria.

“We have a strong pipeline across Australia and are now focused on scaling into key markets including New South Wales and Queensland, while continuing to build on our Melbourne base,” Gurner said.

“We currently have more than $3 billion in the market, growing to over $5 billion by October, and expect to materially outperform last year in the 2026 calendar year.”

The result also reflects the continued strength of the upper-end apartment market in Melbourne, particularly for owner-occupier-focused product with large-scale amenity and lifestyle offerings.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144441]

Record result anchored by the Group’s “utopian” Elysium Fields precinct – defying market headwinds in Docklands.

Elysium Fields drive Gurner to $1.65 billion in apartment sales over 2025

National Australia Bank (NAB) will fund <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera</a>, a $1 billion, 52-level luxury residential tower being developed by Central Equity in one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held coastal locations at Northcliffe.

The project, launched recently by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a>, one of Victoria’s largest private residential developers, comes at a time when construction funding for large residential developments has become increasingly competitive as lenders tighten exposure to the sector.

Multiplex has been appointed the builder, and construction is now underway.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365784]

Since its first project, Central Equity has delivered more than 85 residential developments with a combined end value exceeding $8 billion.

Palmera reflects Central Equity’s growing focus on the Gold Coast luxury apartment market and continues a relationship between Central Equity and NAB that dates back to the late 1980s, when the bank funded one of Melbourne’s earliest inner-city residential towers at a time when high-rise apartment living in the CBD was largely unproven.

“NAB’s funding of Central Equity’s $36 million CBD development in the late 1980’s to the financing of the billion-dollar tower today highlights the long-term relationship between the two organisations in delivering major residential projects” said Central Equity Founder and Chairman Eddie Kutner.

He said NAB’s early support was instrumental in helping establish the company’s development model.

“When we commenced our first residential tower in the late 1980s the concept of funding off-the-plan apartments was still largely untested in Australia,” Kutner said.

“NAB recognised the opportunity early and supported the project when others were uncertain. That relationship has now continued for more than 37 years across many developments.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Central Equity was established in 1987 when Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank precinct were still dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings. Fewer than 100 residents lived in Southbank at the time, and large-scale residential development in the inner city was not widely considered.

Recognising changing demographics and lifestyle preferences, the company began developing high-rise residential projects designed to bring permanent residents into the city centre.

Central Equity has provided accommodation for approximately 40,000 residents across Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank, while also incorporating supporting infrastructure including essential lifestyle facilities like retail spaces, childcare facilities and neighbourhood activity centres.

Central Equity has spent many years assembling the Palmera development site on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Frederick Street in Northcliffe, creating a supersite of around 3,300 sqm.

The developer said the Palmera apartment tower reflects its long-term view of the Gold Coast as a growing and increasingly diversified economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365768]

Supported by infrastructure including the light rail network, major road upgrades expanded education, hospital and medical facilities and continued expansion at the Gold Coast Airport with more international and domestic flights.

Positioned in the tightly held Northcliffe precinct, the 52-level tower will deliver 347 apartments, targeting buyers seeking a high-end coastal lifestyle, from downsizers to interstate investors.

Designed by Marchese Partners with interiors by DBI, Palmera has been conceived as a next-generation residential offering, featuring a collection of oversized apartments, with premium three-bedroom residences offering sweeping northern views stretching from Surfers Paradise through to Burleigh Heads.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party

Southeast Queensland

<h2>EXPERT OBSERVER</h2>

The SEQ story is a very strong one.

The region should remain resilient to higher interest rates because of its relative affordability, high population growth, constrained supply, accelerating interstate and overseas migration, rising rents and low vacancy rates, and the Olympic program.

<h2>1. A Booming Population</h2>

With a population of around 3.8&nbsp;million, the SEQ region is set to grow by another 1.65&nbsp;million by 2041.

Brisbane, Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast account for 70% of net interstate migration to Queensland which is&nbsp;currently at a 15 year high and far exceeds every other state in Australia.

<img alt="" height="936" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2022-06-20_at_3.51.03_pm.png" width="1334" /> 
East coast capital city net interstate migration. Source: ABS

<h2>2. Significant Infrastructure Investment</h2>

The total infrastructure pipeline for Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast is currently $75+ billion&nbsp;&ndash; the greatest concentrated infrastructure boom SEQ has experienced.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112349 project_image_fid=199469]

The recently finalised SEQ &ldquo;City Deal&rdquo; is the largest in the nation and is estimated to be worth $58 billion to the local economy. Furthermore, confirmation that Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympics will sure up and boost this pipeline substantially.

<h2>3. Strong Base Fundamentals</h2>

Economic and employment growth, relative affordability, low vacancy rates, superior rental yields and declining supply validate the SEQ investment story.

<img alt="" height="764" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2022-06-20_at_3.48.40_pm.png" width="1338" /> 
South east Queensland economic growth. Source: ID Community

<img alt="" height="834" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2022-06-20_at_3.51.54_pm.png" width="1286" /> 
&nbsp;

South east Queensland employment growth. Source: ID Community

In Brisbane, it will take 6.2 times the average wage to pay off a dwelling. Comparatively in Melbourne and Sydney, it will take 8.3 and 9.5 times the average wage respectively (source: ANZ)

<img alt="" height="788" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2022-06-20_at_3.53.56_pm.png" width="1300" /> 
Average dwelling price to income ratio. Source: ANZ

<h2>4. An Impeding Product Under-Supply</h2>

Rental vacancy rates are one of the best lead indicators of the underlying demand/supply balance in residential property markets.&nbsp;Vacancy rates across SEQ have been progressively declining since 2016, and now sit at all-time lows.

They have remained consistently below those in Melbourne and Sydney for a number of years. At 0.6%, the current vacancy rate across SEQ represents an extremely tight and undersupplied rental market.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112349 project_image_fid=199468]

As a consequence of such consistently and comparatively low levels of vacancy, yearly rental growth across SEQ has been considerably stronger than that which has been experienced in Melbourne and Sydney.

Furthermore, this growth has ensured sustained SEQ rental yields of 5%, significantly higher than those being achieved in Sydney and Melbourne which both sit at near-record lows of 3.7%.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112349 project_image_fid=199473]

Based on historical demand and likely anticipated supply,&nbsp;SEQ will experience a shortfall of more than 16,500 new apartments over the next four years.

<img alt="" height="914" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2022-06-20_at_3.58.07_pm.png" width="1304" /> 
&nbsp;

SEQ potential apartment settlements. Source: CoreLogic, JLL, Place Advisory, PriceFinder.

<h2>5. Strongest Performing Market this Cycle</h2>

The last true SEQ growth cycle occurred between 2001 and 2004. During this period, the region outperformed the southern capitals just as it had during previous peak growth phases.

History shows that in the context of market cycles a period of&nbsp;SEQ outperformance is well overdue and that the current growth cycle likely has much further to run (see diagram below).

<img alt="" height="632" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2022-06-20_at_3.59.36_pm.png" width="1450" /> 
SEQ yearly increase in average house price. Source: Pricefinder

Michael Zaghini is the Head of Research at Mosaic Property Group

South East Queensland boasts a powerful combination of having a thriving world-class capital city, an enviable lifestyle, stunning beaches, record infrastructure investment, strong employment growth, and a high level of housing affordability

alisonwarters@gmail.com

Five reasons SEQ property will continue to outperform other regions: Mosaic Property

<html><body>
Buyers are flocking to the South East Queensland (SEQ) premium property market due to affordability, when compared to Sydney and Melbourne median prices, according to the latest PRD SEQ premium property report. 
The report suggests the SEQ premium property market shrunk in 2018 and 2019, partly due to a softening in the Sydney and Melbourne property prices, but also as investor confidence declined.
However, SEQ population is projected to increase approximately 49.4% by 2041.
The major increase of property price in Sydney and Melbourne in 2014-2017 shifted buyers toward the SEQ market, capitalising on comparatively lower prices.
During this time, sales transactions in the premium market increased. As the Sydney and Melbourne markets softened, transaction volume in the SEQ premium market also decreased.
The report also analysed interstate migration and vacancy rate trends, to determine future demand and attractiveness of the SEQ premium property market. 
"By 2026, it is expected we will see large population increases for Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast by 8.3%, 24.6% and 23.4% respectively. Further, by 2041, it is expected that Brisbane will grow by 25.9%, Gold Coast by 62.5%, and Sunshine Coast by 61.9%.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/9/25/PRD%201.png" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/9/25/PRD%201.png" alt="">
Source: PRD SEQ premium property report
"SEQ has experienced healthy decreasing vacancy rates, with Brisbane (2.5%), Gold Coast (2.7%) and Sunshine Coast (1.7%) all recording below the Real Estate Institute of Australia’s healthy rental demand benchmark of 3.0%. An oversupply of rental properties in Sydney Metro led to an increase in vacancy rates of 3.5% and 2.0% for Melbourne Metro," PRD Chief Economist, Dr Diaswati Mardiasmo said.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/9/25/PRD%202.png" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/9/25/PRD%202.png" alt="">
Source: PRD SEQ premium property report
Other key findings in this report include:
<ol>
<li>
Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast premium unit markets have shown strong buyer activity. The Brisbane premium unit market almost doubled from 4.5% in 2014, to 8.0% in 2019. The Gold Coast grew from 5.5% in 2014, to 7.3% in 2019. The Sunshine Coast grew significantly from 2.8% in 2014, to 5.1% in 2019.
</li>
<li>
Across SEQ, each region saw a significant decline in average days on the market for both premium units and houses. Gold Coast premium units experienced the most significant decline, from an average of 224 days in 2014, to 142 days in 2019.
</li>
</ol>
PRD Research provides expert insight analysis on transaction activity within the SEQ premium property market, particularly to what extent it is influenced by price swings in Sydney and Melbourne.
Data for this report was collected based on the three major Local Government Areas within SEQ: Brisbane City Council, Gold Coast Council and Sunshine Coast Regional.
Find out more about vacancy rate trends and population forecasts by downloading the report at <a href="https://www.prd.com.au/research-hub/" target="_blank">PRD's website</a>.
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Buyers flocking to SEQ premium property market: PRD

<html><body>
Village Fair Shopping Centre at Regents Park in south east Queensland has been placed on the market for sale. 
Savills’ Peter Tyson and Jon Tyson have been jointly appointed with Shane Sax of Pace Property to sell the centre via an Expressions of Interest campaign.
Village Fair is located in Regents Park and comprises a convenience scale neighbourhood centre anchored by a 2,000 sqm Drake’s supermarket supported by 25 specialty shops.
Regents Park is situated 22 radial kilometres south of the Brisbane CBD on the Mount Lindesay Highway. 
According to Peter Tyson, Village Fair features an annual income stream approaching $1.7million and will provide a rare offering in the tightly-held southern Brisbane shopping centre market. 
“The local market has been dominated by long term owners and the centre is expected to appeal to private investors and syndicates who dominate transactional activity at this price point." 
“Given the scarcity of similar assets in Brisbane’s greater southern region, and the strong ongoing demand for the neighbourhood shopping centre asset class, we expect a very high level of investor interest in this opportunity,” Peter Tyson said.
Village Fair has a gross lettable area of 4,611 sqm and occupies a 12,900 sqm site with exposure to the Mt Lindesay Highway and passing traffic of over 60,000 cars daily.
Jon Tyson said that there has been identifiable and constant demand from investors for neighbourhood retail opportunities. 
“The non-discretionary nature of this asset class is underpinned by food and service oriented tenants, which is exemplified in Village Fair,” Jon Tyson concluded.
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Savills list Village Fair Shopping Centre at Regents Park

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Now is the time for upgraders to make their move in the southeast Queensland market.
This is according to RiskWise Property Research CEO Doron Peleg, who says the region presents good medium and long-term investment opportunities.
“This is due to a number of factors including good internal migration to the region creating an increase in demand for houses,” Mr Peleg said. 
“Also, the area is very affordable compared to Sydney and Melbourne, particularly when taking a long-term view.
“What we are seeing is a market with good projections. You won’t see a red-hot market with double digit growth, but you will see, overall, a balanced market between buyers and sellers with some small pockets leaning towards sellers in high-demand areas. Usually, you won’t see people paying inflated prices.”
He said with the Queensland Government taking significant steps to grow its economy, the local property market was likely to prosper and as a result, the state continued to attract a high number of interstate migrants in search of affordable housing and employment.
The $5.4 billion Cross River Rail and upgrades to the M1 are just two of the major infrastructure projects expected to have an impact on the economy. The Advance Queensland initiative is also designed to create knowledge-based jobs, drive productivity improvements and help position the state as an attractive investment destination with a strong innovation and entrepreneurial culture.
“When we have significant slowdown and price reductions in Sydney and decelerated prices in Melbourne, as is the case now, this traditionally means southeast Queensland attracts more interstate investments,” Mr Peleg said.
“We have good fundamentals right now. Relatively good housing affordability, population growth and therefore demand for houses, improved jobs and economy, weakness in other markets, and modest capital growth so it’s not an out-of-control market. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/7/23/Dwelling%20Price%20Growth.jpg" alt="">
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/7/23/SEQ_Table.jpg" alt="">
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SEQ upgraders told to 'act now or miss out'

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Property funds manager Clarence Property has further bolstered the portfolio of its unlisted Westlawn Property Trust (WPT), with the $12 million acquisition of a commercial and retail building in the heart of Brisbane's Hamilton.
The fully tenanted 9 Hercules Street Hamilton is Clarence Property's fourth WPT acquisition in the last 12 months, following the purchase of 201 Leichhardt Street Spring Hill for $14.272 million and 48 Bell-Aire Avenue Northgate for $8.475 million in October 2017.
The commercial precinct 183 Varsity Parade, Varsity Lakes, was secured for $11.8 million in March 2017, bringing the total value of WPT acquisitions over the past year to $46.5 million.
Clarence Property recently launched its latest capital raising for WPT.
It is forecasting a 7 per cent cash distribution to investors paid monthly.
WPT has not failed to pay a monthly distribution to unit holders since the Trust's inception in 1994.
Clarence Property managing director Peter Fahey says Hercules Street, located at the doorstep of Brisbane's renowned Portside Wharf precinct (below), offered solid returns and flexibility for further development in the future.
"The Brisbane city and fringe market remains highly competitive in the sub $15 million range, so finding an asset that wasn’t over rented with a WALE above 3.5 years was very attractive," he said.
"The site also has an approved unit development which offers flexibility in the future should we decide to develop when the time is right.
The Hercules Street property is a 2175sqm commercial precinct  currently home to Vystal Property Group, Exercise Sports Science Australia, Corporate Development Mentors and Medi Pro Capital Finance, plus cafe ll Capretto.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/3/21/clar2.jpg" alt="">
The deal was negotiated by Colliers International agents Hunter Higgins and Sam Stubbings. 
Property investment fund manager Clarence Property launched its latest capital raising for its flagship unlisted Westlawn Property Trust on the back of its recently completed seventh offering - which closed over subscribed for $33 million.
WPT is forecasting an 8.6 per cent gross distribution including franking credits.
"Last year, WPT delivered an 18.6 per cent return to investors and has delivered an average return of 12.1 per cent per annum over the past three years, which is a commendable performance," Fahey said adding existing investors are mainly based in northern NSW and South East Queensland.
Many of them are expected to increase their stake in this latest capital raising.
He said there was an appeal to a wide range of investors who are principally seeking regular income, from small  self managed super funds right through to wholesale and sophisticated investors.
WPT was established in 1994 with 13 investors and one property.
It now boasts more than 1,000 investors and nearly $250 million of commercial property under management, together with a 500-lot, $200 million master-planned Epiq community under construction at Lennox Head.
The masterplanned Epiq has realised more than $65 million in land sales in the past two years, with releases two and three, comprising a total 160 lots, both selling out within 24 hours at ballot-style buyer events.
 
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Clarence Property launch latest capital raising for its flagship Westlawn Property Trust

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/69199/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Special interest groups have had much more influence than the wider community on the new regional plan for Southeast Queensland.
A draft of the plan, ShapingSEQ, was recently released for comment. Prior input from the wider community was limited to submitting “thought bubbles”about the region without having the benefit of any report card on how the previous plan had performed. 
This process did not accurately gauge community concerns and submitters were not a representative sample. Perhaps it gave people the feeling they’d “had a say”. The process just as likely reinforced cynicism about government consultation.
Regional planning in Southeast Queensland began in the early 1990s when councils in the region signed up to the Regional Framework for Growth Management. This was a non-binding set of guidelines promoted by the state government to manage land-use change. 
Subsequently, this framework evolved into a statutory regional plan in 2005. It is noteworthy that consultation in the lead-up to the 2005 plan included the public release of discussion papers with options for the region’s future.
The initial focus was very much on getting southeast Queensland councils to accept the need for regional planning. At that time, the role of the wider community was relatively minor. 
A 1990 meeting of representatives from government, business, trade unions, professional groups and community organisations was an important impetus for starting the regional planning process. This “stakeholder” model of community engagement has been the dominant form of consultation ever since.
Stakeholders or citizens?
Stakeholders have particular vested interests – such as protecting the environment, promoting a business sector, or advancing a government agency’s agenda. 
Preparation of the 2016 draft plan involved several of these stakeholder “reference groups”. Participants in these groups were there to advocate for the organisation they represent, often making it more difficult to find “outside-the-box” solutions.
Consultation by negotiating with stakeholders is consistent with the dominant view that explicitly pursuing the public interest is less important than growing the economy. Consequently, an “issue management” approach has been taken, with stakeholders “competing” for influence over which development regulations are put in place. Within this worldview, trade-offs between stakeholders usually take place in a “growth first” framework.
An alternative is to promote informed deliberation by citizens who don’t represent particular interests. The Perth Dialogue with the City process shows how this “citizen” approach can work. 
This was a process of engagement with a large group of demographically representative Perth citizens. They were provided with relevant in-depth information before their deliberations about the city’s future.
Wide consultation overdue
It has been at least ten years since there was either an open performance review of southeast Queensland regional planning, or consultation with the wider community on options for the region’s future. Engagement with the wider community is particularly important now for a couple of reasons.
First, the 2016 draft plan claims to have a 50-year vision horizon, compared to the previous plan’s 20 years. Because of this change, the wider community should have been engaged in developing this new vision rather than being presented with a fait accompli in the draft plan. 
Second, the draft plan represents a significant change of focus from the previous 2009 plan. That plan aimed to reduce the region’s ecological footprint and mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, the 2016 draft seems to be adopting a more “growth first” approach. 
It is noteworthy that virtually all references to climate change in this new draft are about adapting to change rather than reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These significant changes should have been widely debated before the draft plan was prepared.
Independent report card needed
For a debate on future directions to be genuine, the community needs an independent, comprehensive report card on how things are tracking. 
The draft plan has ten indicators, some of which show modest improvement. However, other indicators, such as housing affordability and loss of biodiversity, have gone backwards. And koala numbers continue to decline.
The report card should also acknowledge that Australia (including southeast Queensland) has one of the worst records for resource use and greenhouse gas emissions per unit of economic output of any developed country.
Moving beyond ‘predict and provide’
The draft plan largely takes a basic “provide land for the predicted demand” approach, which assumes that regional planning is a type of technical process best left to the experts.
However, regional planning always involves trade-offs between different economic, social and environmental values. These should be openly discussed through genuine community engagement.
By not providing opportunities for such engagement, the draft plan has failed to give the community a real say in the region’s future.
Brian Feeney is urban planning researcher, The University of Queensland and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brian-feeney-317083" target="_blank">here</a>.
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