Three main topics have dominated property news this week: the federal government’s plan to make it easier for first-timers to buy a home; the NSW government’s plan to open the “ghost station” at Woollahra – triggering the fast-tracking of 10,000 new homes in the area and an inevitable backlash from Nimbys – and comment on the effects of the recent rates cut.

All of these stories have been covered in the daily feed that we receive from Leftfield Communications.  Below are all the links to those free apartment-related stories and more. 

You can subscribe to receive the whole box and dice directly – including links to pay-walled stories – at the end of this post.

THURSDAY

Domain

‘Pie in the sky’: You can’t buy a $1.5m home on a 5 per cent deposit
A full-time worker on an average wage would not be able to borrow enough money to take full advantage of the federal government’s first home buyer help, instead falling hundreds of thousands of dollars short.
Elizabeth Redman
 
The best luxury properties for sale in Australia this week
When it comes to luxury property, these eight properties are an absolute standout and ready to be snapped up.
Kate Farrelly and Mary O’Brien
  
Mega transformation of humble Northcote block has buyers flocking in droves
Christmas has come early for the vendor of 58 Christmas Street, Northcote, with over 90 groups of prospective buyers touring the property during its first week on the market after a mammoth knockdown-rebuild expedition.
Lisa Marie Corso
 
ABC Online

Appin Road koala underpass construction delayed south of Sydney
A purpose-built koala underpass at a busy south-west Sydney and Illawarra road has been left half-built amid a stoush between two developers. Stockland said it needed access to land owned by Lendlease on the eastern side of Appin Road to complete the koala underpass, but had not been given permission.
Brooke Chandler
 
Three WA local governments in turmoil as at least two dissolved
The City of Nedlands and Town of Port Hedland have been dissolved by the state government due to dysfunction. Shire of Coolgardie is next in line with a show-cause notice for suspension issued by the minister.
Kimberley Putland, Charlie Mills and Kelsey Reid
 
City of Moreton Bay spends $1.4 million cracking down on homeless camps
The City of Moreton Bay has spent more than $1.4 million policing its homeless population. It comes after the council outlawed homeless camping in March.
Kenji Sato
 
Fast-tracked housing estate approval set to double population of Riddells Creek
A new 1,360-home housing estate at Riddells Creek in the Macedon Ranges has been approved by the Victorian government. The development will almost double the town’s population, and was opposed by the local council and residents.
Sarah Lawrence and Fiona Parker

Realestate.com.au 

‘Sweet spot’: 80 affordable suburbs where buyers are flocking
Properties for sale in these suburbs are being swamped with enquiries from house hunters, but prices are still within reach for the average buyer. Analysis of PropTrack data has revealed dozens of high-demand suburbs that are in a home price ‘sweet spot’, with cheaper houses than most of the country.
Daniel Butkovich
 
Inflation uptick crushes September rate cut hope
New inflation numbers have thrown a spanner in the works for the Reserve Bank’s planned path forward on interest rate cuts. Australia’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July came in above expectations at 2.8% year-on-year – the highest level of headline inflation in 12 months.
Hope Coumbe
 
Spring property market to flourish as rate cuts lift buyer confidence  
Home buyers are gearing up for a busy spring market, with interest rate cuts boosting confidence and increasing the likelihood of stronger competition for properties around the country. 
Benn Dorrington
 
Rich vs. poor: Surprising impact of RBA rate cuts revealed
Poorer homeowners have become worse off since the Reserve Bank announced three interest rate cuts this year, with rates of mortgage stress among the bottom 40 per cent of earners steadily climbing.
Aidan Devine

Major banks upstaged in rate response as 110 lenders under the microscope
Four banks have been slammed for being the only lenders yet to pass on the RBA’s August rate cut, more than two weeks after the central bank announced it would slash the cash rate from 3.85 per cent to 3.60 per cent.
Tim McIntyre
  
How banks delayed first-time buyer’s home dream
The banks had the biggest say on when this struggling homebuyer was going break out of the rent cycle.
Peter Farago – Geelong
 
Tower mega-deal rides on super penthouse push
A beachfront mega-deal hinges on a bold proposal to add a lavish double-storey penthouse to a luxury tower under construction at Burleigh Heads.
Viva Hyde – Gold Coast

WEDNESDAY

Domain

The modest type of housing where rents have soared
Asking rents have soared even for the most modest properties in recent years, putting pressure on tenants in a cost-of-living crisis.
Elizabeth Redman
  
ABC Online

Hume City Council sounds alarm on ‘tidal wave’ of data centre water applications
A council in Melbourne’s outer north has voted for more scrutiny over applications for resource-intensive data centres, with its deputy mayor warning the significant volumes of water they require could jeopardise new housing and population growth. The ABC has previously revealed Greater Western Water was assessing 19 applications from data centres to use up to 20 gigalitres of water a year.
Leanne Wong
 
Fresh battlelines drawn over ‘game-changing’ housing plan in affluent Woollahra
The NSW Premier is vowing to stare down criticism over plans to resurrect Woollahra Station and rezone nearby land for up to 10,000 new homes. Questions have been raised over the government’s ability to deliver on the new homes, and how many will be set aside for affordable housing. The opposition has labelled the housing target as “pie in the sky”.
Gavin Coote
 
Rent changes on way for hundreds of social housing recipients following government review
Three-quarters of social housing recipients have had their rent increased, and about 23 per cent decreased, following a government review into the system. The review also identified nine property owners who were also social housing recipients.
Jack McKay
  
Man at centre of NDIS property scheme accused of lavish spending despite having assets frozen by Federal Court
The Gold Coast businessman accused of gambling tens of millions of dollars earmarked to build homes for the country’s most disabled has allegedly continued to spend lavishly despite the Federal Court freezing his assets.
Jessica Longbottom, Ben Schneiders, Lesley Robertson and Dylan Welch

Realestate.com.au 

Robbing the $35bn Bank of Mum and Dad
Forget Commonwealth, ANZ, or Westpac, The Bank of Mum and Dad has entered the market and is now the 10th largest lender in Australia, with loans totalling over $35bn. They’re guaranteeing mortgages, providing deposits, and interest-free loans, along with a wide array of other financial benefits, such as paying private school fees.
News Corp Australia
 
‘Confused but committed’: Huge change in Aussie home buying
Buying a home remains a strong aspiration for most Australians but first home buyers are waiting longer to buy their first property. According to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, the average age of first home buyers is now 37.
John McGrath
 
‘Lifetime of debt’: Aussies slam 5pc deposit scheme
It’s being sold as a lifeline for first home buyers – but critics say the government’s new 5 per cent deposit scheme is actually a trap that could lock young Australians into decades of crippling debt.
Lydia Kellner
 
Home move that could save you thousands every year
If you aren’t claiming depreciation on an eligible investment property, you could be missing out on thousands of dollars worth of tax deductions each year. But what exactly is depreciation? And how do you know if it’s something you can take advantage of?
Kate McIntyre
 
From factory to dream home: Warehouse conversions you have to see to believe
These old factories have been reimagined into chic living spaces, using their rusty past to breathe new life into urban hubs.
Melissa Iaria
 
Insta-famous dogs reshape Aus housing market
As Australia celebrates International Dog Day, a fascinating truth emerges from the property market: our beloved canine companions are not just part of the family; they’re increasingly influencing where and how we choose to live.
Lydia Kellner
  
Sydney property forecast: suburbs predicted to lead next price boom
Western Sydney suburbs offering more affordable prices are expected to get a considerable jump in home values over the next six months, a new report has revealed.
Kaylee Cranley – Sydney
 
Riddells Creek to almost double population with new housing precinct
The Victorian government has approved its second suburb-sized new housing precinct in opposition to local council views in the span of a month.
Nathan Mawby – Melbourne
 
Lara housing estate delivers 48 lots with inner city benefits
A new housing estate in one of Geelong’s busiest growth corridors can claim the benefits available to many inner city residents.
Peter Farago – Geelong
  
Over 50s community offers rooftop sky lounge, bar, cinema, pool, bowling alley
A Queensland over 50s community is raising the bar for luxury residential living with the opening of a $22.9m club that rivals a five-star hotel.
Aleisha Dawson – Gold Coast
 
How to fight back when the landlord won’t fix the air conditioner – and if they even have to
This is a common question I get asked from tenants who are having problems in getting their landlord to repair items around the house. Your landlord may not want to dip into their pocket but they do have a clear obligation to repair under tenancies legislation.
News Corp Australia – Adelaide

Urban Developer – Partly Free

Central Element Forges Ahead with Lavender Bay Scheme
High-profile developer Central Element is pushing ahead with its plans for a 140-apartment tower in a tightly held Lower North Shore enclave.
Clare Burnett
 
Brisbane Games: 20 Put Up Hand to Build Olympic Heart
Twenty submissions to deliver the Victoria Park precinct ahead of the 2032 Games have been received by the Queensland Government.
Lindsay Saunders 

Angle Wins Green Light for Camberwell Parkside Project
Inner-east developer Angle has won approval for its latest project on a parcel of land next to St John’s Anglican church at Camberwell. The leafy heritage-rich suburb 10km east of Melbourne’s CBD is known for its civic precinct and well-heeled residents.
Taryn Paris
 
Final Call for Affordable Housing Summit Registration
Time is running out to join The Urban Developer’s Affordable Housing Development Summit in Sydney on Thursday, August 28.
David Di Marco
 
Relevant or Redundant: Will Tech Kill Display Suites?
Once the undisputed centrepiece for off-the-plan sales, display suites are in a period of reinvention. With build costs ranging from $1 million to more than $5 million and digital tools advancing, developers are pairing reimagined touchpoints with immersive tech to sell beyond the showroom.
Vanessa Croll
 
Apartments.com.au

Lagoon Main Beach approaches sell-out as local buyers drive $75m in sales
Gold Coast developer Drew Group is fast approaching sell-out at its Main Beach apartment development, Lagoon Main Beach.
Joel Robinson
 
Abadeen tops out Villea Palm Beach
National apartment developer Abadeen has topped out its debut Gold Coast apartment project, Villea Palm Beach. Buyers will move into the $120 million development in early 2026, with builder Emicon now focusing its attention towards the fitout stage of the apartments.
Joel Robinson
 
Urban Property Group unveils ESTE Little Bay apartments
Urban Property Group has officially unveiled its vision for a landmark development in Little Bay. The vertically integrated developer-builder is set to launch ESTE, a collection of low-rise buildings designed by Hill Thalis Architects, comprising 94 apartments.
Joel Robinson

TUESDAY

Domain

Mum and dad help son buy $1,195,000 Coogee one-bedder
A one-bedroom art deco Coogee apartment sold for $1,195,000 at auction on Saturday to parents helping to buy the home for their son.
Carmen Forward, Elizabeth Redman
 
Discover Canberra’s urban sanctuary for nature and art lovers
Acton is a suburb where some of Canberra’s most vibrant design has been interwoven with its heritage, resulting in a destination like no other.
Karen Hardy
  
From insecurity to community: One tenant’s journey in a Canberra build to rent development
A positive rental story is somewhat of a rarity when low vacancy rates, cost-of-living pressures, and rising rents across Australian capital cities and towns have intensified in recent years.
Laura Valic
 
Melbourne suburbs where property values doubled fastest – and slowest
Docklands units have taken 37 years to double in value, despite conventional wisdom that property prices double every 10 years.
Caroline Zielinski
  
ABC Online

Government’s first homebuyers deposit scheme could increase prices faster than Treasury forecasts
House prices could rise more than the federal government has flagged after its decision to remove limits on a first homebuyers’ scheme, analysts say.
Henry Zwartz
 
Five per cent first homebuyer deposit scheme to begin in October
The federal government will bring forward the start date of its promise to expand the First Homebuyer Guarantee by three months.
Jake Evans
 
Hundreds of homes for people with disability sit empty at expense of NDIS participants and investors
At first glance, driving through the new estates on Melbourne’s western fringe, the houses look ordinary. Single-storey, brick veneer frontages, finished in a grey monochrome. But look closer and the differences are clear: step-free entrances, extra-wide doorways, and bathrooms designed for wheelchairs.
Jessica Longbottom, Lesley Robinson, Ben Schneiders, Dylan Welch and Madi Chwasta.

 Realestate.com.au 

Buyer demand shifts from booming hotspots to rebounding markets
Demand is rising in previously-underperforming capitals, with increased investor interest fuelling a home price turnaround.
Daniel Butkovich
 
Housing scheme expansion: Property experts reveal market warning
A decision to expand and fast track the Labor Party’s signature First Home Guarantee scheme will be a gamechanger for first-home buyers but it could also reignite another price boom, experts claim.
Aidan Devine
 
First-home buyer win as low deposit loans fast-tracked
First-home buyers could get into the property market with a 5% deposit within weeks after the federal government brought forward its expanded low-deposit scheme.
Benn Dorrington
 
Revealed: The capitals where building beats buying
In December 2023, I wrote about how construction costs had dramatically outpaced house price growth, making it cheaper to buy an established home than build new.
Nerida Conisbee
 
Six in 10 borrowers reveal costly home loan oversights
Did you know one in three borrowers said it took five years or more to save their home loan deposit? That’s a long time preparing to buy property, but new research reveals that when it comes to choosing their home loan, many borrowers wish they’d done things differently.
News Corp Australia
 
Baby Boomers are ditching sea and tree changes for city units
The traditional sea or tree change retirement narrative is being rejected as a growing number of baby boomers swap the beach or bush for city apartments.
Kaylee Cranley
 
Popular property scam on rise as nearly every Aussie fooled
Homeowners and aspiring buyers have been warned to be vigilant following a rise in AI powered bank scams, which new research suggests nearly every Aussie would fail to detect.
Aidan Devine
  
Sydney auction demand soars off the back of interest rate cuts
Recent interest rate cuts have continued to drive an upswing in the property market, with Sydney’s auction clearance rate hitting boom levels and sellers pocketing sums well beyond expectations.
Kaylee Cranley – Sydney
 
“Hood” to high-demand: The unbelievable rise of a Sydney Suburb
In the heart of Sydney’s southwest, where the name “Claymore” once whispered tales of hardship and despair, a remarkable transformation is underway.
Lydia Kellner – Sydney
 
10,000 new homes planned for Woollahra station – where will they be built?
The NSW government has said it will finally open a train station in the inner-city Sydney suburb of Woollahra, after a partially complete facility was abandoned in the 1970s.
Juliet Helmke – Sydney
 
Dina Broadhurst sells Eastern Suburbs home for $8m
The sale of the Darling Point apartment co-owned by nude artist Dina Broadhurst and her ex-partner, builder Max Shepherd, settled last week at $8m.
Jonathan Chancellor – Sydney
  
Geelong: Teachers, nurses, shop workers hit as home approvals fall
Fixing an ailing housing market is key to releasing the handbrake on Geelong’s regional economy by allowing more teachers, nurses and retail workers to buy homes, a leading urban economist said.
Peter Farago – Geelong
  
Urban Developer – Partly Free

Missing Heart: Why The Gold Coast Needs a CBD
It is the missing piece of the Gold Coast’s urban puzzle. Somewhere along the way to becoming Australia’s sixth largest city—with a population forecast to reach 1 million within 15 years—it has been left without a definitive CBD.
Phil Bartsch
 
James Park Investments Plans 399-Unit BtR Windsor Tower
A vacant aged-care facility at Windsor could soon make way for a 399-apartment build-to-rent tower that would be one of the suburb’s largest purpose-built rental complexes.
Leon Della Bosca
 
Roundtable’s Housing Reforms Face Real-World Delivery Test
Canberra’s economic reform summit has put housing supply at the centre of a package to cut approval delays, recalibrate the National Construction Code and bring forward a deposit scheme for first home buyers.
Vanessa Croll
 
NSW Plans to Bring Eastern Sydney ‘Ghost Station’ to Life
A long-abandoned Eastern Sydney rail station is being revived and rezoned, but the NSW Government is already bracing for a backlash.
Clare Burnett
 
Top 5 Developers Building Land Lease Communities in 2025
It is a commercial residential sector that has grown in popularity in recent years, with its focus on recurring revenue and housing diversity. But it is not a simple swap for greenfield developers looking to capture the upside of land lease communities.
Shravanth Reddy
 
Apartments.com.au

Bridge Road Residences brings 10-year defects guarantee to Homebush
For the first time, prospective off the plan apartment buyers in Sydney’s Homebush can purchase with the confidence of a 10-year defect protection for their new apartment building. Bridge Road Residences, the latest development by Ventus Group, is the first new apartment complex in the area to offer the highly sought-after 10-year Latent Defects Insurance, provided by Resilience Insurance.
Joel Robinson
 
Construction to commence at Napier 235 in Fitzroy as Romano appoints builder
Romano Property Group has appointed AG Construct to deliver their boutique new Fitzroy apartment development, Napier 235.
Joel Robinson
 
First look: Rare new apartment project pitched for Sydney’s Surry Hills
A rare new development in Surry Hills is aiming to replace a cluster of underutilised commercial buildings with a contemporary eight mixed-use building just 300 metres from Central Station.
Joel Robinson
 
Art Group’s Calypso in Dickson approaches completion
Award-winning Canberra developer Art Group is approaching the final stages of construction on its newest residential development, Calypso, located on the city-fringe boulevard of Northbourne Avenue in Dickson.
Joel Robinson
 
12 Headland Parade delivers rare new-build coastal homes to Barrack Point
Headland Parade is one of the most premium and tightly held streets in Barrack Point in the Shellharbour region south of Sydney.
Apartments.com.au Editorial
 
Speedy approvals set to change the face of Surfers Paradise riverfront street
Sunset Boulevard was a small, relatively unknown riverfront street on the Nerang River in Surfers Paradise around 18 months ago. However, the street is now set to become a thriving residential hub after the Gold Coast City Council approved several new developments that are poised to transform the character of the area.
Joel Robinson

MONDAY

Domain

Is the Canberra property profit boom over?
While more than nine in 10 Canberra home owners who sold their house in the first half of this year made a profit, the rapid growth of recent years has largely stalled, creating a stable yet mixed market, according to the latest Domain Profit and Loss report.
Olwyn Conrau
  
We were offered an abundant utopia. We got something much less
Imagine living in a home powered by solar panels and clean energy sources such as wind turbines, nuclear plants and geothermal walls. Your energy bill is so cheap you don’t even notice when the money is taken out of your bank account.
Caroline Zielinski
 
Top homes to inspect in Canberra this weekend
Get your inspection planner ready because we’ve rounded up the best properties for sale across Canberra right now to help you choose.
Danielle Meddemmen and Laura Valic
 
25 Wrixon Street Kew: Renovated period home with pool, tennis court and five bedrooms
One hundred years young and sporting a brilliantly fresh-looking renovation, 25 Wrixon Street will certainly notch another classy century.
Lou Sweeney
 
From Bendigo to Ballarat, fine dining is increasing regional house prices
Hannah and Jarrod Pageot start the day to the familiar hum of their cafe’s espresso machine grinding and hissing.
Emily Power
 
The best properties for sale across Melbourne right now
We’ve rounded up the best properties on the market right now to help you choose.
Mary O’Brien and Lou Sweeney
 
Doncaster’s lifestyle mix: pilates, parks and family homes near Westfield
It’s hard to believe there was a time when taking a risk meant opening a Pilates studio in Doncaster, but it’s a testament to the rapid change occurring in this part of Melbourne’s north-east.
Larissa Dubecki
 
The best properties on the market in Sydney and surroundings right now
Sweeping ocean views and perfectly preserved heritage details are the hallmarks of this week’s best properties for sale in Sydney.
Pauline Morrissey and Lou Sweeney
  
ABC Online

Women go from homeless to ‘tiny home’ owners with a once-in-a-lifetime deal
Single mum Lauren De Groot was house-sitting when she saw a Facebook post offering homeless or at-risk women $55,000 to help build a tiny house. The catch — you had to be involved in the building process.
Vanessa Gorman
 
NSW government to complete Woollahra Station, rezone nearby land for new homes
The NSW government has announced it will complete building Woollahra Station, and rezone nearby land for up to 10,000 new homes. Plans for the station, between Edgecliff and Bondi Junction, were abandoned in 1976 due to costs.
Alexander Lewis
  
Albanese government to freeze construction code until 2029, fast-track housing approvals
The federal government is moving to speed up decisions on housing approvals and limit further changes to the lengthy National Construction Code, just days after being urged to do so by the Economic Reform Roundtable.
David Speers
 
WA government is ‘spinning’ the results of community survey into Burswood Park racetrack and community hub, locals say
The WA government has released a report indicating the public supports a proposal to build a multi-purpose entertainment precinct and racetrack at Burswood Park. The government’s press release says 76 per cent of all contributions provided “positive ideas”.
Cason Ho
 
Half an hour to go 2km: The Melbourne suburb where 1.2 per cent of people use public transport
The mayor of an outer Melbourne community is calling on the state government to urgently fund a train station in his growing community, where just 1.2 per cent of people regularly catch public transport.
Margaret Paul
 
Bundaberg bushland gifted for affordable housing amid push to keep green space
A historical subdivision in Bundaberg has been gifted to a not-for-profit organisation for the creation of affordable homes and social housing. Environmental advocates have been lobbying the local council for decades to have the land included in the adjoining environmental park.
Nikki Sorbello
 
What is the National Construction Code and what would a pause mean?
Anyone who has built or renovated their own home will know how complex the National Construction Code (NCC) can be.
Maddy Morwood

 Realestate.com.au 

Interstate migration hits 9-year low as the top 10 Aussie regions to move to are revealed
Internal migration across the country is at its lowest level since 2006, thanks to rising cost of living prices keeping Aussies grounded.
Nicholas Finch
 
How Aussie homeowners are turning properties into wealth
Younger Australians are increasingly viewing their homes not just as a roof over their heads but as a potential vehicle for increasing their wealth.
Kaylee Cranley
 
‘Blown up’: brutal truth of buying a new home
Hopeful Aussie first-home buyers are slamming into a barrier that their Baby Boomer and Gen X parents never encountered following an explosion in the upfront costs needed to secure a property.
Aidan Devine
  
Sydney’s most competitive suburbs revealed
Buyers are having to fend off an average of 150 competitors to snap up a home in some Sydney suburbs, according to new data from PropTrack.
Owen Raymond – Sydney
  
Sydney property: upfront costs blow out
Home buyers are taking four times longer to scrape together deposits than their parents, with an alarming study revealing the upfront costs of a home have blown out following recent interest rate cuts.
Aidan Devine – Sydney
 
More Sydney families trading houses for apartments
Sydney’s property market is making it harder to move out and forcing more families into smaller homes. In some cases, families are sacrificing the space of a traditional home in exchange for a more affordable, more manageable apartment that prioritises the convenience of an inner-city location.
Owen Raymond – Sydney
 
Female auctioneers rewriting Melbourne auctions this spring
A new generation of female auctioneers are rewriting the rules of Melbourne’s property market, urging nervous buyers to bid early and confident sellers to lean on emotion as spring heats up.
David Bonaddio – Melbourne
 
First-home buyers take over Melbourne property market | LMG
Melbourne’s property market is shaking off its winter lull, with auction numbers steady on last year and a flood of first-home buyers reshaping the city’s spring selling season.
David Bonaddio – Melbourne
 
Toorak takeover: rich young guns fuelling Melb’s luxury market
Forget Baby Boomers, young rich listers with tens of millions of dollars to splash on a home are reshaping the top end of Melbourne’s property market.
Alesha Capone – Melbourne
  
Revealed: How little you need to buy a Melbourne home in 2025
Melbourne first-home buyers are getting their foot on the property ladder with less than $30,000 saved up — less than you’d need to buy a cheap new car.
Nathan Mawby – Melbourne
 
Vic govt policy leaves Ballarat facing housing supply shortage
Ballarat is poised to run out of land within four years as the regional city’s demand for new homes outpaces town planning.
Nathan Mawby – Victoria
 
West Melbourne biscuit factory apartment for sale
A Melbourne warehouse where Teddy Bear and Butternut Snap biscuits once rolled off the production line has been reborn as a heritage apartment.
David Bonaddio – Melbourne
 
Copper theft crisis threatens to derail Australia’s housing projects
An Aussie electrician says rampant copper theft is compounding delays in new home construction, as tradies are increasingly targeted by brazen thieves looking to cash in on valuable materials.
Lydia Kellner
  
Deposit disaster: Home dream now four times harder
Queenslanders now take four times longer to save a home deposit than Baby Boomers did, as surging property costs push the average age of first-home buyers close to 40.
Viva Hyde – Queensland