A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

Joel Robinson

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5427]

The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<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]

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

University

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/62964/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
A university education is a highly valued commodity in Asia. Australia has benefited from this in terms of the economic advantages international education has brought.
In 2015, there were 272,095 higher education international students in Australia who contributed almost A$12.5 billion to the economy. The vast majority were from Asia.
They also supported thousands of jobs and businesses across the property, hospitality and retail sectors in cities and regions.
However, developments in the higher education sector in a number of Asian countries may threaten Australia’s billion-dollar education industry.
<h2>Who are the rising Asian players?</h2>
The US and UK dominate the international education market in Asia, hosting 19% and 10% of the global share of international students.
More recently, however, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia have become more attractive destinations for Asian and non-Asian students, including those from the Middle East.
The attraction is due to a variety of factors, such as scholarships, job opportunities in the region, cultural and geographical advantages, and governments investing in higher education.
In 2013 these countries combined hosted 7% of the global share of international students, edging out Australia, which has 6% of the market share.
Many are looking to reform and improve their higher education sectors. Some have plans to almost double their international student intakes over the next four years. China is seeking to grow numbers by 500,000, Japan by 300,000 and Malaysia by 200,000 by 2020.
While Australia also aims to almost double its intake to close to a million by 2025, the Asian countries' targets may well prove formidable competition.
Malaysia and Singapore are attractive because of the availability of local jobs after graduation. Regardless of where they are from, international students on Singapore government-funded tuition grants are contractually obligated to work for locally based companies in the republic for three years. The aim of the scheme is to meet labour shortages and harness the skills of the graduate workforce.
In Australia, however, international students have few scholarship opportunities, and no local jobs specifically waiting for them after graduation.
Having an Australian qualification does not necessarily mean an international student will be employed in Australia. Here any foreigner – which is how international students are regarded once they finish their studies – must possess the skills Australia needs and/or undergo a skills assessment by the relevant Australian authority before they will be granted permission to work.
The movement of international students from developing nations to developed nations is no longer the norm within the region.
In South Korea, for instance, students are studying in Indonesian universities with the prospect of gaining employment with South Korean-based companies in Indonesia.
<h2>Moving up the global rankings</h2>
Asian universities are also punching their way up university rankings.
In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2015-2016, Asian universities outperformed Australian universities in the top 100 list.
Nine Asian universities in comparison to six Australian universities made the top 100.
The top Asian university, the National University of Singapore (NUS), ranked 26th, above Australia’s best performer, the University of Melbourne, which is 33rd.
And while there are more universities in Asia than in Australia, what is significant about such rankings is that key Asian universities are fast becoming globally recognised as premier research and teaching institutions. They are overtaking Australian institutions in the competitive higher education space.
The QS World University Rankings place Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University as the leading institution for universities under the age of 50 years.
Asian universities again dominated, with 16 institutions in the top 50 under 50. Australia had six universities in this category, with 14th-ranked University of Technology Sydney leading the pack.
Together with robust funding support from the government, NUS strategies for simply being the best include high calibre-recruitment, a commitment to innovation and collaborations with overseas partners such as the Singapore-based NUS-Yale College.
Asian education hubs have ambitions not only to maintain their positions but also to increase the number of their institutions at the high end of these rankings.
In 2013, Japan for instance launched its Top Global University Project to place ten or more of its universities in the global top 100. Like Singapore, the Japanese government has been providing generous funding to its premier universities to achieve this goal. The government invests millions of dollars in annual subsidies for its leading research and education institutions.
<h2>How can Australia stay competitive?</h2>
What can traditional players like Australia, the US and the UK do to maintain their competitive edge?
With Asian universities becoming some of the best in the world, it is vital that the traditional markets provide strong research funding support to their universities to build up their research and innovation strengths.
In 2013, according to the OECD, Australia invested 2.112% of its GDP in research and development. This is marginally more than the UK (1.664%), China (2.015%) and Singapore (2%), yet significantly less than Japan (3.482%), Korea (4.149%) and the US (2.742%).
Asian students and their families value quality education. Eventually they will look to universities that have globally recognised quality brands, which would help students with their own professional mobility.
A way for Australia to stay competitive would be through research collaborations and partnerships with Asian institutions.
If traditional and emerging markets are competing for students, it is imperative that strong research and teaching links be formed between universities from both sides of the divide.
One aspect of this discussion policymakers might want to consider is becoming host to satellite campuses from world-renowned universities.
So far only Carnegie Mellon has an offshore campus in Australia.
Having such satellite campuses creates not only diversity and internationalisation in the Australian higher education space, but also provides other benefits. These include more competitive choices of institutions on Australian soil, as well as greater opportunities for students to move between countries on exchange.
Having top Asian universities set up campuses in Australia promotes increased flows of top students and staff. This would help strengthen Australia’s position in the region as a high-quality education hub.
Catherine Gomes is senior lecturer, RMIT University and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/catherine-gomes-12634" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Rising players in higher education: the countries to watch out for

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Leading global investment firm Goldman Sachs has teamed up with Blue Sky Private Real Estate to launch a joint $1 billion student accommodation.
The two companies are aiming to build a portfolio of between 5,000 and 10,000 student accommodation beds across Australia and New Zealand over the next few years.
Blue Sky Private Real Estate have already grown the student accommodation development pipeline to more than 3,000 beds across the country since the formulated the investment strategy in 2014.
In a sector which has been heavily undersupplied in relation the the US and UK, head of investing for Blue Sky Private Real Estate Adam Vaggelas said the partnership was a key milestone in the company's strategy.
“Education is Australia’s largest non-resource export industry, worth in excess of $18 billion per annum and growing," he said.
"The ability to scale further into this domestic thematic, in part due to region’s proximity to a rapidly expanding Asian middle class, is a key focus for the partnership."
The Blue Sky partnership is Goldman Sachs’ entry into the Australian student market, however the global investment firm has been active in the European student market for a number of years.
Earlier this year Goldman Sachs announced a £2 billion joint venture to form the Vero Group consisting of approximately 600 staff managing almost 25,000 student beds across the UK. Entities owned by Goldman Sachs and funds managed by Blue Sky will each own 50 per cent of future projects developed under the Australian joint venture.  
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Blue Sky Private Real Estate to for $1 billion student accommodation venture with Goldman Sachs

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With university offers finalised, tertiary students across NSW have commenced the urgent quest for accommodation for the 2016 academic year, which will put the squeeze on already tight rental vacancy rates across NSW.
Gerard Hill, of Raine &amp; Horne Newtown, said the rental market in Sydney’s Inner West, which is home to Sydney University, the University of Technology, and the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA), a major teaching hospital, remains tight with vacancy rates well under 1%.
“We currently have six properties out of 1100 available for rent, with as many as 43 parties at inspections.”
“We expect vacancy rates will be squeezed further as new and existing university students flood the rental market in February.
“Therefore the best advice is to get in now before the bulk of students start to make their presence felt at open for inspections in suburbs closest to the universities such as Newtown, Darlington and Erskinville.”
Underlining the fierce rivalry for rental properties in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, Terry Brandtman, Principal of Raine &amp; Horne Randwick, says there were 30% fewer properties available for rent in early January than at the end of spring 2015. 
“Two-bedroom apartments in Clovelly, Coogee and Randwick rent for between $550 and $750 a week depending on the age of the stock, which compares very favourably to apartments in the newer developments in Waterloo, Alexandria and Mascot, where weekly prices can be closer to $850,” said Mr Brandtman.
“Many rental properties are tightly-held, as existing tenants don’t want to leave for fear of paying more.
“However at this time of year there is usually some attrition with some people shifting outside the region and others looking to move to the area,” Mr Brandtman added.
Rental accommodation is also tight in NSW’s second biggest city, Newcastle, with virtually nothing available within walking distance of the CBD.
“Anything in inner city Newcastle is being snapped up almost immediately,” said Jason Maxwell, Principal of Raine &amp; Horne Newcastle. 
A one bedroom apartment within a 1 minute walk of the Newcastle CBD, at 408/21 Newcomen Street, Newcastle[i], hit the market on Thursday last week, and had been leased by Monday for $400 a week.
Demand for student accommodation in Newcastle remains robust, despite the University of Newcastle’s decision to develop additional on-campus housing in recent years.
“We are seeing more students returning to the private rental market this year due to cheaper room costs and a desire for more privacy,” said Mr Maxwell. Rooms in student share-house accommodation in Newcastle start from $90 a week.
Angus Raine, Executive Chairman of Raine &amp; Horne, said a combination of persistence, punctuality and presentation will be critical in helping rental market contenders into a home. 
“There’s no escaping the fact you have to wear out some shoe leather and inspect as many rental homes as you can,” said Mr Raine.
“Treat a meeting with a property manager like a job interview – smart casual attire including polished shoes rather than shorts and thongs won’t hurt your rental chances either. 
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to consider taking mum and dad along to inspections. It might sound cheesy for some, but it often works.
“Even getting parents to countersign a lease agreement can help as this makes them jointly responsible for the lease,” said Mr Raine.
Angus Raine’s tips for beating the rental squeeze in 2016 
<ol>
<li>Treat appointments with property managers like a job interview.</li>
<li>Be punctual and present professionally.</li>
<li>For younger people, it helps if mum and dad are with you at appointments and/or they can offer a rental guarantee.</li>
<li>References from employers, university lecturers, school teachers, a family doctor or solicitor – and especially past property managers or landlords – are essential.</li>
<li>Take along paper work such as your motor vehicle licence and/or passport, bank statements and so on.</li>
<li>If you’re offered a property, take it immediately or you could miss out.</li>
</ol>
 
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po-LsXgBTHBmX

University students put squeeze on already tight NSW rental vacancy rates

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GUEST OBSERVER
With advances in technology and shifts in the demographics of people attending university, the campus experience is changing. We’re taking a look at how students have traditionally experienced university across the globe, and how that’s evolving in each region.
<h2>In the UK: not all living away from home</h2>
Paul Ashwin, Professor of Higher Education, Lancaster University
The dominant image of the UK campus experience is of students in their late teens or early 20s living and socialising on the campus of a long-established university.
However, figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) paint a different picture. In 2013-14, around one-third of full-time students lived at their own or their parents’ home and one-third of all students were aged 25 or over. Around 15% of the student population were distance learners, with around one-third of these based wholly overseas.
HESA do not collect figures on the number of students studying in private institutions, but a survey in 2012 suggested there were around 100,000 students at private institutions. This represented around 4% of the 2011-12 student body.
Part of the reason the dominant image remains unchallenged is that these different kinds of students and experiences tend to be located at different kinds of universities.
The researchers in the Social and Organisational Mediation of University Learning (SOMUL) project identified three different kinds of student experience based on the levels of student diversity at an institution and the extent to which students' experiences were shared or individualised.
The danger of the dominant image of the young student living away from home, as the SOMUL project recognised, is that higher education experiences that fit with it are often assumed to be higher quality than those that do not. Our research in the quality and inequality of teaching in undergraduate first degrees clearly showed this is not the case.
While technological developments have changed the experiences of students studying at a distance, for other students it seems that it has been integrated into their experiences without changing them fundamentally.
This is similar to what happened with television in the 1970s, which was thought to have signalled the end of the traditional lecture. While it did offer higher education in a new form to students engaging with the programs made by the Open University, the experience of most students did not greatly change.
<h2>In the US: the digital age isn’t necessarily bringing us closer</h2>
Karen Sobel Lojeski, Assistant Professor in the Department of Technology and Society, Stony Brook University
Just outside the main student activity centre, information tables line collegiate quads featuring everything from ceramics classes to geology clubs. However, while on the surface this sociable scene still plays out in one form or another across the country, the campus experience is changing.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, as of 2012, approximately 12.5% of the 21 million or so enrolled undergraduates attended online classes exclusively – meaning they missed a “real-life” campus experience altogether.
However, for the 75% or so reportedly attending traditional classes entirely, technological tethers are also impacting campus life on the ground one way or another.
The increased use of web-based lecture technologies like Echo 360, for example, is designed to enhance students’ learning experience. Research shows it is perceived to be highly beneficial by those who cannot attend class – providing them with flexibility and multiple learning options when emergencies and other life circumstances prevent them from being there “live”.
On the flip side, an unintended consequence is that some students see web-based lecture technologies as a way to justify surfing the web while in class because they can always go back to the “replay”. However, while this often leads to a negative impact on grades, it can also change the trajectory of social interactions inside and outside the classroom – fuelling a sense of being “alone together”.
For example studies show that depression and anxiety among college students is rising significantly, creating what the American Psychological Association calls a mental health crisis on campuses across the nation.
On the one hand, social media can benefit student sufferers by keeping them regularly connected to family and friends – easing worries and providing comfort. On the other hand, social media can contribute to the psyche’s catastrophic thinking by creating an increased sense of isolation called virtual distance. Whether the student is walking down a crowded campus thoroughfare staring at a screen or curled up in their dorm room looking at Facebook friends’ “highlight reels” making them feel more lonely than ever.
The bottom line – technology is impacting campus life on both sides of the ledger in ways that can enrich as well as detract from precious encounters with new knowledge and friends.
The lesson for our youth is that even if you spend a lot of time with your computer companion try to also throw some clay on a wheel, slip down a watery bouncy slide or mine minerals from shoe boxes with like-minded collectors for as Carly Simon sang a long time ago, it is still the case for your generation that “these are the good old days”.
<h2>In Australia: spending less time on campus</h2>
Jason Lodge, Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education, University of Melbourne
University students in Australia usually stay close to home to go to university. Rural students predominantly stay in rural areas to study and city dwellers tend to stay in cities.
Australian domestic students are less likely to live in dorms or on campus than students in other parts of the world. They instead tend to live with their parents or partners.
While the situation is different for international students studying in Australia, the living arrangements and mobility of Australian domestic students has remained relatively stable. The same may not be said about their actual attendance on campus though.
A recent report from the Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education highlights some changing trends. Students appear to be spending around the same amount of time studying overall but are spending less of that time on campus. 
Students also indicated they were less engaged with their peers than students in the past have been. Instead they appear to spend much more time on the internet or studying alone.
Data in the same report also indicate that students are increasingly using technology to study. However, the notion that these technologies mean they can spend less time on campus was not shared by a third of the sample.
These data challenge the argument that Australian students devalue campus life in favour of online content. The available evidence instead suggests that a complex set of factors drive student decisions about where and when they study.
This is perhaps not surprising given that the student body in Australian higher education is far <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/816-mapping-higher-education-2014.pdf">l</a>arger and more diverse than it traditionally has been.
Australian university students also have increasing commitments outside of study including work, family and carer responsibilities. These obligations force them to make strategic decisions about their study habits. This includes deciding whether it is worth making the trip to campus despite whatever value they see in being there.
Jason M Lodge is research fellow, ARC Science of Learning Research Centre &amp; Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jason-m-lodge-442" target="_blank">here</a>.
Karen Sobel Lojeski is assistant professor, Technology and Society, Stony Brook University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karen-sobel-lojeski-143489" target="_blank">here</a>.
Paul Ashwin is professor of Higher Education, Lancaster University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-ashwin-166223" target="_blank">here</a>.
All are authors for The Conversation.
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