Adelaide is bucking the national trend, a new report shows, and is one of just two capital cities with more new listings currently on the market than at this time last year.

Only Adelaide and Perth’s property market are outperforming last May’s new releases, with there being 3 per cent more new Adelaide properties currently for sale than this time last year.

We trailed just behind Perth, where the number of new listings is up 3.5 per cent on this time last year.

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Both cities sit streets ahead of the capital city average – a 7.6 per cent drop on this time last year.

Darwin recorded the biggest drop in new listings on this time last year, and by an absolute mile too. There are 35 per cent fewer new listings on the market than last May.

Melbourne was the second-worst market for househunters, with an 11.8 per cent drop in new listings.

In terms of new listings over the past month, Adelaide’s performing a little slower than some of Adelaide’s larger cities.

Up 6.5 per cent over the past month, Adelaide’s new listings trail Canberra (24.7 per cent), Sydney (217 per cent), Darwin (21.4 per cent), Melbourne (9.7 per cent) and Brisbane (8.9 per cent).

Turner Real Estate managing director Lachlan Turner said Adelaide was performing strongly.

“Adelaide’s property market has continued its impressive growth through May and into June, cementing its place as one of the strongest-performing capitals in the country,” he said.

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“Metropolitan home values have seen consistent growth, driven by low supply, strong population gains, and unwavering buyer demand.

“The latest figures show the median house price has climbed to $882,157, while units have reached $600,071, both rising 0.4 per cent month-on-month.

He said over the past 12 months, Adelaide has experienced an impressive 12.2 per cent annual growth, outpacing most other Australian cities.

“Rental prices have also remained at record highs,” he said.

“The median weekly rent is $650 for houses and $590 for units, supported by a tight vacancy rate of just 0.7 per cent.

“These conditions reflect a highly competitive market for tenants and continued interest from investors.”

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New listings were sluggish in regional SA, where numbers are up just 0.5 per cent for the month, compared to a national average of 0.0 per cent, and down 16.2 per cent year-on-year compared with a national average of -13.3 per cent.

Report author Angus Moore said nationally, new listings lifted 7.6 per cent in May relative to April, as market activity picked back up following the Easter and Anzac Day long weekends.

“Every capital city recorded month-on-month growth in new listings, with Canberra and Sydney leading the gains,” he said.

“Overall, this autumn selling season recorded a 4.9 per cent annual drop in new listings compared to autumn 2024, as April and May experienced slower activity than a year ago.”

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The top end of Byron Bay’s property market remains strong. And the lucky buyer of this hinterland home will gain four houses in one.

The buyer forking out a cool $15 million for this elevated property in the Bangalow hinterland outside Byron Bay will score three more houses as a bonus.

For some, taking on a collection of residences spread across 12 hectares would be daunting; for others, 84 Fowlers Lane, Bangalow is a fabulous opportunity.

“This isn’t your typical trophy home where you’re spending $15 million on one thumping house. It’ll suit a particular type of buyer,” said agent Will Phillips at Sotheby’s International Realty Byron Bay.

“Sometimes you’ll get the odd studio but to have four separate, high-quality houses, each very private and with their own different flavour, is very hard to come by.”

The main residence on this expansive block is known as The Farmhouse, which is ironic because there’s nothing humble about this two-storey spectacle. It provides voluminous living spaces flowing to a wraparound verandah and luxurious poolside terraces, all enjoying sweeping views of the Nightcap Ranges’ rolling hills.

Built with natural stones and warm timbers, the stunning home includes four bedrooms, a media room, a spacious home office, three sophisticated bathrooms, underfloor heating, solar power, Tesla batteries and onsite water tanks.

Scattered across the landscaped hills are three impeccable cottages, reflecting the property’s history as a mango farm. There’s The Mango Packing Shed and The Bails, both with two bedrooms, and the charming Storm Cabin, a one-bedroom studio.

Each boasts their own contemporary architectural style, premium fixtures and finishes, impressive alfresco decks and terraces, private pools and breathtaking northerly views.

Together, the four properties make up ‘Imagine Byron Bay’, which was originally built as a hinterland retreat and more recently used to house extended family.

“This place would suit someone seeking a beautiful home plus other dwellings for family and friends to come and stay, or it could serve as an ideal multi-generational set-up where everyone can have their own space,” Mr Phillips said.

“Alternatively, you could rent the houses out as weekend getaways or permanent rentals, or lease the entire estate for events or retreats.”

The location is highly desirable, just five minutes from Bangalow’s vibrant town centre and 15 minutes from the golden sands of Byron Bay.

Mr Phillips said he had received plenty of interest in the property, including a buyer looking to turn the property back into a retreat.

He said the high-end market around Byron Bay was curently “the best performing section of the market”.

The mid-range and more affordable side of the market is “still slower”, he added.

Houses in Bangalow have dipped 6.8% over the year to a median of $1.5 million. In Byron, they’ve risen 0.9% to $2.73m.

The current owner only purchased 84 Fowlers Lane six months ago, but has bought somewhere else close by as his requirements have changed.

“The property sold for $15 million and we have no doubt we’ll achieve that figure again,” Mr Phillips said.

“There aren’t many high-end properties that come up here. While many hinterland homes offer beautiful land or views, they’re often old and tired and require extensive renovations.

“So when these large, high-end properties come up, people jump on them.”

Expressions of interest on 84 Fowlers Lane close Thursday June 12 at 5pm.

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Australia’s city skylines are taking cues from New York’s architectural marvel, the Flatiron Building, with two new developments finding unique ways to make use of angular blocks.

West Residences in Perth and The Queensbridge Building in Melbourne are proving that unconventional parcels of land can lead to bold, dynamic designs that make the most of limited space in growing cities.

In dense urban environments like inner-city Melbourne and Perth, these kinds of sites are often left until last to be developed, dismissed as too complex. But for forward-thinking developers like Time & Place and Willing Property, they present a chance to push architectural boundaries for new housing.

“These ‘irregular’ sites shouldn’t be seen as problems, they should be seen as opportunities to create richer urban experiences,” said Daniel Denize, Brand Manager at Time & Place.

“They present both fascinating opportunities and real design challenges. On one hand, they disrupt the typical grid, forcing you to completely rethink planning fundamentals – from floorplate layout and circulation to how views and light are managed. But with that disruption comes the potential for something far more expressive and unexpected, which is an equal opportunity and something you don’t get with a typical square-shaped site.”

Maximising space in a cityscape

As land becomes scarcer in our growing cities, developers are being challenged to do more with less. Sites with sharp angles or unusual boundaries are no longer seen as obstacles, but as opportunities to inject character into the urban fabric.

This mindset isn’t new – New York City’s iconic Flatiron Building (completed in 1902) was born from the same constraint-led thinking. Wedged into a sliver between Fifth Avenue and Broadway, the building turned an awkward block into a landmark. It wasn’t just about making a structure fit – it was about reimagining what was possible when you worked with the angles, not against them.

The Queensbridge Building by developer Time & Place and architects Fraser & Partners x Flack Studio follows that legacy. Tucked into a wedge at the convergence of four streets, it uses every centimetre of its footprint to deliver modern residences while enhancing the surrounding streetscape.

“Rather than shy away from the triangular shape, we leaned into it, allowing it to inform a dynamic architectural response that delivers the kind of interesting, character-rich living we always strive for,” explained Mr Denize.

“In fact, the triangular form has allowed us to create a wide variety of unique floorplans,” he said, with one-two-and three-bedroom apartments available as residences and a hotel to be incorporated into the building’s offering as well.

In Perth, West Residences by Willing Property and designed by Klopper & Davis Architects embraces a similarly complex parcel with equal success bearing remarkable similarity with The Flatiron.

Its wedge-shaped footprint has been used to optimise orientation, light, and airflow, resulting in 29 well-designed homes spanning across eight levels that add much-needed density to a previously overlooked site.

“Like New York’s Flatiron building, the site of West forms the junction between the orderly and the sublime. The avenues of Mount Lawley are crossed by West Parade, creating an opportunity to celebrate this contrast with a beautiful angled form,” explained Sam Klopper, director of Klopper & Davis Architects.

“Similarly, the local context around West Parade was developed during a period of unbridled and hopeful optimism of our local gold rush and, like the explosive development of New York, speaks to and embraces this joyful vision of a greater and broader future.”

The perks and pitfalls of the triangle site

These outcomes don’t come without challenges. Irregular angles can complicate construction, and designing efficient layouts within sharp corners requires considerable planning. Furnishing can also be tricky, and aligning services floor to floor may need custom solutions rather than standardised approaches.

Still, for both The Queensbridge Building and West Residences, those challenges have become defining strengths.

“The site’s shape didn’t just influence the design but ultimately became the design,” said Mr Denize.

“It forced us to rethink everything: floorplate layouts, orientation, light and views. But in doing so, it allowed us to break free from cookie-cutter plans and deliver something truly distinctive.”

Homes with character

In a competitive apartment market, one-size-fits-all designs are no longer enough. Today’s buyers are seeking something, well – different.

“Buyers are increasingly looking for properties with individuality and character – particularly amongst the urban density apartment market,” said Mr Denize.

Developers and architects need to think outside the box to attract high enquiry, luring in potential buyers not only with a suite of unique amenities and a thriving community atmosphere, but through design that a buyer can feel proud to live in.

Residences situated on triangular blocks deliver on this design edge with each apartment offering something slightly different thanks to their irregular dimensions. The prow-like tip  of the building is particularly unique with these residences offering rare panoramic views.

“These acute angles create highly dynamic interiors and an ever-changing relationship with the city and deliver a level of spatial engagement you simply don’t get from a standard rectangular site,” said Mr Denize.

Are you interested in exploring more of the latest architecture being built across Australia? Check out our dedicated New Homes section.

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Real estate leaders from across the country will spend a night sleeping out in the cold next week to raise vital funds and awareness for people experiencing homelessness.  

Property leaders and professionals will be dressing in their warmest clothes as they prepare to sleep outside on one of the coldest nights of the year with little more than a sleeping bag.  

Chief executives, business owners and team members from LJ Hooker, Woodards, Ray White, Raine and Horne, and more will join hundreds of others for the 20^th Vinnies CEO Sleepout on Thursday 19 June.  

The annual event raises millions of dollars each year for charity St Vincent de Paul Society and the support and services that it provides to vulnerable Aussies nationwide.  

Sleepouts will be held in cities and towns across the country, pushing people from all walks of life beyond their comfort zones as they spend a night trying to sleep on the cold, hard ground.  

At the Sydney sleepout, LJ Hooker chief executive Christine Mikhael will join hundreds of others for her fourth year of sleeping out. 

“After nearly 40 years in real estate, I’ve seen how central housing is to people’s security and identity and how easy it is for homelessness to be left out of the conversation,” Ms Mikhael said, who was serving as an ambassador for the Sydney event for a second year. 

“We talk about affordability and supply every day, but that means very little to someone who’s locked out of the system altogether, living one day at a time.  

“The Sleepout doesn’t replicate homelessness, but it does give space to stop, listen, and think about what more we can do. This isn’t something our industry can afford to look past. 

“We are privileged every day to help provide shelter to those who can afford it – this is something we can do for those who can’t.” 

In Sydney alone, more than 3,400 people were turned away from Vinnies’ housing services over the past 12 months due to a lack of resources. Crisis beds were near full across all service providers, with women aged over 55 the fastest-growing group facing homelessness.

In Melbourne, Woodards Real Estate executive chairman John Piccolo and many from the Woodards team will be participating in next week’s event. 

It will be the ninth sleepout for Mr Piccolo, who was also an ambassador of the sleepout and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Vinnies over the years.  

Mr Piccolo said he understood just how essential shelter was, as someone who came from humble beginnings.

“When we arrived in Australia, it was just my mum and I and a trunk, and while we didn’t have a lot of money, we always had shelter,” he said.  

“It wasn’t the Ritz, but it was better than no shelter.  

“Personally, I think those early days instilled the right values and work ethic in me, and now I see the sleepout as an opportunity to give back.”  

The Woodards team has raised enough money over the years to donate eight soup vans to Vinnies, and Mr Piccolo wants to raise more funds this year to fund a ninth van.  

The Vinnies soup vans are run by volunteers and offer food, social connection and support to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.  

At the Adelaide sleepout, Ray White South Australia and Northern Territory chief executive Matt Lindblom will be spend a night with many others at the city’s zoo.  

Mr Lindblom said he was passionate about everyone in Australia having a safe place to sleep and call home.  

“We live in the luckiest country in the world and we should be doing more to make sure everyone in Australia is taken care of,” he said.  

“We can all play a part in making this happen, it’s not just up to the government or not for profit organisations, if we all contribute and help, then homelessness can one day become a thing of the past.” 

And in Canberra, Raine and Horne Commercial Canberra principal and managing director Mark Nicholls and his team will be joining the capital’s sleepout for the third time.  

“We see a lot of people experiencing homelessness around Canberra, so the sleepout is a good cause to get behind,” he said.  

“My wife, who also works in the business, volunteers with the Vinnies night van and she sees their stories firsthand, so it’s a cause that’s close to our hearts.” 

Western Australia will hold its sleepout on Thursday 26 June. To learn more or donate, visit  ceosleepout.org.au.

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Rentvesting has gone from being an almost-unknown term to a well-understood property strategy within the space of a few years.

For many people, rentvesting is about getting a foothold in the property market; for others, it’s about creating an investment portfolio.

With interest rates dipping and prices set to keep rising, this property strategy is likely to become even more popular.

Though not a new concept, it’s become an increasingly popular way to enter the market amid declining affordability, especially for those wishing to remain in costly lifestyle areas in the inner city or by the beach. The current downward interest rate cycle makes it even more attractive.

New South Wales-based Mortgage Choice broker Rob Lees says it’s a logical strategy.

“The concept is rent where you want to live and invest where it’s better for investment — whether that’s better capital growth potential, better rental yield or more affordability.

“Rentvesting gives you a lot more choice as to where you buy; you have the whole country to consider.”

Here’s how to know if rentvesting is right for you and how to make it work.

Does rentvesting make sense right now?

National home prices continue to rise, growing 3.7% in capital cities and 5.2% in regional areas over the year to May, according to the PropTrack Home Price Index.

Property Mavens buyers agent and property adviser Miriam Sandkhuler says in a rising market, those waiting for a larger deposit risk missing out.

“In a moving market, you can never save at the rate at which the market can increase. Rentvesting gets you in; it’s a fantastic opportunity for people to get their foot in the door,” she says.

Lower interest rates, which boost borrowing capacity and reduce mortgage repayments, make rentvesting more accessible.

Inspire Realty property advisor and buyers advocate Colin Lee says robust home price growth and ongoing high rents create ideal conditions for rentvestors.

“This means owning a rental property in the right location can generate strong cash flow.”

However, lower interest rates also encourage more buyers, fuel competition and drive up home prices.

Who is rentvesting for?

Rentvesting tends to suit younger buyers who aren’t ready for a family home and want to enter the property market, as well as people adjusting to smaller budgets such as those going through separations. However, it’s not limited to just the young, Mr Lee says.

“Rentvesting is ideal for young professionals, couples and even families who want lifestyle flexibility but also want to build wealth through property.”

Mr Lees cautions that rentvesting can exclude first home buyers from grants and benefits that aren’t available to investors.

“You only get these grants once, so if you buy the investment property first, when you move to an owner-occupied property, you’ll miss out.”

Better than buying your own home?

In very expensive areas, Ms Sandkhuler says renting “can be a comparatively cheap option rather than spending millions of dollars on a house”, especially if this enables you to invest in other assets.

“I know people who are renting and sharing a house with flatmates but have bought a well-located house in a regional city.”

Mr Lees says if people are willing to rent very cheaply, rentvesting can make more sense on paper than purchasing a home.

“Just based on numbers, it might be better to be a rentvestor rather than buying an owner-occupied property and taking out a big mortgage that isn’t tax deductible,” he explains.

“Some purists develop property portfolios without ever buying their own home.”

But few people remain rentvestors indefinitely, he adds.

“Most want the security of their home eventually, especially when they want to start a family. So they’ll leverage or sell the investment property to buy something that’s theirs. Ultimately, it becomes an emotional decision rather than a financial one.”

How does rentvesting affect borrowing capacity?

Your borrowing capacity as a rentvestor hinges on your current rental expenses, viewed as a liability by banks, and the rental income potential from your investment.

If you’re paying minimal rent by living with parents or house sharing, you may be able to borrow more than if you were buying your own home.

“This is because there’ll be rental income included in your serviceability calculation,” explained Mr Lees.

Conversely, paying high inner-city rents may mean you can borrow less than if you were buying your own place.

“If you’re paying $1,000 a week in rent and your investment yields only $500 a week rent, you’re starting a bit behind.”

It’s also worth factoring in the potential benefits of negative gearing, where rental losses can be deducted from your income at tax time. Consult your accountant for advice.

What and where should rentvestors buy?

While location depends on budget, key factors for a successful rentvesting spot are a growing population, strong rental demand, infrastructure investment, proximity to employment hubs, and limited housing development to avoid a rent-reducing oversupply.

“Ideally you want good capital growth, rental growth and a strong rental yield,” Mr Lees says.

Mr Lee advises buyers to “focus on growth corridors and emerging hotspots”.

He says recent promising investment locations include parts of south east Queensland, Western Sydney and outer Melbourne, where properties remain affordable.

When it comes to the property itself, rentvestors can easily get it wrong, he adds.

“They buy something that appeals emotionally but doesn’t stack up financially. Another risk is not understanding cash flow, such as underestimating holding costs or vacancy risks.

“Always do your research or engage a buyer’s agent who understands investment-grade property. It’s about securing the right property, at the right price, in the right location, with the best value-adding and growth potential.”

Ms Sandkhuler says it can help to understand if you’re seeking capital growth, cash flow or a mix of both.

“The type and location of property you buy is determined once these goals are refined.”

Rentvesting for the long term?

Your rentvesting strategy may be purely about getting into the market, but you still need to think long term, Mr Lees says.

“For your property to achieve substantial capital growth, you need to be willing to sit on it for at least one, two or even three boom periods.”

As you build equity, you might even leverage it to purchase another investment property.

“I have clients who buy multiple properties from a rentvesting perspective because they want to grow a portfolio while continuing to live where they choose,” Ms Sandkhuler says.

“This means you might not even have to sell the asset to buy your own home.”

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