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Robert Harley

This Month

Australian real estate may provide refuge for investors amid global turmoil.

Looking for a safe haven in the trade wars? Come on in

Falling interest rates and a weak Australian dollar could make local real estate all the more attractive to foreign capital.

March

he industry hoped, mistakenly, that the budget would redouble efforts and fire up supply.

Has Albanese given up on the housing crisis?

Yes, much of the problem is out of everyone’s hands. Even so, there’s a paucity of policy in the latest budget to help get Australians into the market.

Coles coming: The 720 Bourke Street building, left, previously occupied by Medibank, will be the supermarket’s new HQ from 2027.

The office market’s dirty secret

In many cases, incentives offered to office tenants are so big they exceed the cost of the fitout. So why not just reduce the rent?

Want to play the housing rebound? Here’s how

What’s the best way in to a residential real estate recovery? Debt or equity, listed or unlisted, build-to-rent, student housing, or land lease?

February

Reflecting the retail pain, Scentre (Westfield) reported a half-year loss of $3.61 billion.

Why commercial property is at a turning point

Real estate investment trusts around the world are pointing to brighter outlook for commercial property.

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Reserve Bank cut a turning point for commercial property markets

For the commercial property sector, the rate cut is more a marker of a fundamental shift to a stable, even cheaper, cost of debt.

The Property Council numbers show that in 2024, Australian businesses and governments actually occupied more office space than they exited.

Back to the office momentum a win for sector

The impact of working from home on Australian office towers is stabilising, even as businesses and employees continue to wrestle with WFH.

December 2024

When will office tower values stop falling?

Investor sentiment about the battered office sector is turning. And, say some, there may even be some upside in 2025.

November 2024

David Harrison, CEO of Charter Hall is marking 20 years at the helm of the property firm.

Doing it his way: How David Harrison built an $80b funds empire

In his two decades at the top, the Charter Hall chief executive has transformed the property funds group into a giant of the industry.

Confidence boost: the proposed redevelopment at Chatswood Chase on Sydney’s north shore.

Australia’s big shopping malls are back in black

Despite the cost of living pressures and the challenge of on-line shopping, retail rents are rising and so are mall valuations. There’s a reason for that.

October 2024

Housing construction is hampered by planning laws.

This is why new housing isn’t getting built

All the talk is about the planning process, zoning and development approvals. But projects won’t go ahead if they don’t stack up.

Goodbye Sydney: warehouse owners priced out of town

The resulting transport and storage charges will flow on to the cost of living in Sydney, even to the cost of building a new home.

Change the tax framework? The changes would be less than both sides of the debate argue.

We’re more nuanced on negative gearing than five years ago

Disadvantages for investors – and gains for aspiring owners – would be more modest than many expect, if Australia’s property tax regime changed.

July 2024

The investor survival kit for property taxes

Property investors, particularly in Victoria and NSW, face what seems to be an ever-increasing regime of extra costs and charges. Here are some tips to stay the course.

June 2024

Property buying and selling intentions are at multi-year lows.

‘Eyes wide open’: How to ride the private credit boom

Private credit for commercial real estate has never been stronger. It’s also running into trouble. “All of us need to be eyes wide open and alert. It is real estate and it is credit. Let’s not misprice the risks.”

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May 2024

Lendlease chief executive Tony Lombardo has been forced into a strategic reckoning.

Why Lendlease couldn’t grow like Westfield or Goodman

The developers’ mantra “think global, act local” makes sense but too often the offshore investments, by Lendlease and many others, have lacked discipline.

Rich Lister Terry Snow steps away from the cockpit

At 79, the Canberra property dynamo behind Canberra Airport is finally stepping down from active roles. His son Tom will now chair the airport board.

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Can $32 billion fix the housing crisis?

The Albanese government’s ambitious plan to boost housing supply might not make a difference before the next election. Is there a better solution?

Guests at the Lang Walker memorial

‘Larger than life’: packed memorial farewells Lang Walker

Friday’s two-hour public service for the property developer and Rich Lister, who died in January, was attended by a who’s who of Australian business and politics.

Productivity is now in its biggest stall for six decades.

Housing construction is collapsing around Australia. Here’s why

Developers can charge buyers more, or the costs can come down to make apartment developments viable. It’s clear which is better, Robert Harley writes.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/by/robert-harley-j7gc0