City Beat May 2023: Sydney sees strong off the plan sales activity

Since the near year-long downturn ended, which was a few months ago according to most property data analytics firms, Sydney has flown out of the traps following double digit declines.

CoreLogic's Home Value Index showed a further 1.3 per cent growth in dwelling values (houses and units) over April, following 1.4 per cent gains in March.

Now houses are -12 per cent down over the last 12 months, with units back -7.2 per cent. Both markets have shown a considerable bounce back over the last two months, each posting gains of over one per cent month on month.

The end of the downturn is bringing buyers back to an increasingly undersupplied market. Sydney held 570 auctions over last weekend, well down on the 914 held last year. The preliminary clearance rate was just over 70 per cent, the seventh consecutive week the preliminary clearance rate was above 70 per cent.

Off the plan agents are saying the tight supply is assisting in the strong results being achieved all across Sydney, everywhere from St Leonards to Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.

CBRE Residential Projects Managing Director, David Milton, says there’s some strong data out there which is improving market sentiment.

"With the RBA approaching a holding phase, and the huge immigration forecasts, there’s set to be a lot more demand in the market," Milton says.

"People are thinking now is the time to buy. They aren’t wanting to wait another 12 months."

Milton says enquiry hasn't necessarily increased, but the quality of the enquiry and the intentions of those enquiring has been much higher, which is leading to improved conversion rates.

CBRE sold out The Cambrian in Paddington by Robby Ingham on the launch day, all 15 apartments. Now they're readying the full launch of the equally rare Woollahra Collection by Fortis, which Milton says will appeal to the Sydney high-end market.

CBRE are also preparing to launch The Landmark Quarter, the next St Leonards project for New Hope Group.

The three-tower project on Marshall Avenue features a range of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, as well as a handful of terraces.

St Leonards has had solid demand in recent months, evidenced in Top Spring's The Newlands, just off Newlands Park.

The Colliers project marketing team recorded a 104 per cent increase in sales in Q1 compared to the same time last year, notably due to the $60 million in sales recorded over a VIP weekend held at Top Spring's The Newlands in April.

Colliers National Director of Residential Blake Schulze says despite mixed market sentiment, the residential market across Sydney’s off-the-plan market has continued to yield strong results. 

"We have found that there is strong market participation from local owner occupiers who are opting to purchase in projects close to where they are currently living or working," Schulze says, noting that over 20 per cent of purchasers currently live within five kilometres of the site. 

"We are experiencing strong market demand for premium oversized apartments across Sydney, dominated by local owner occupiers and downsizers," Schulze says.

"Over 45 per cent of the three-bedroom stock at The Newlands has sold. These apartments are appealing to young families as the generous bedrooms and living spaces are a key consideration for buyers, in addition to the well curated amenity offering."

The lack of supply in Sydney's eastern suburbs has seen strong enquiry already for The Centennial Collection, the new Bondi Junction project from local developer Stargate.

Ray White Projects Managing Director Eddie Mansour says there's a number of buyers ready to transact even ahead of the public launch on May 4.

"Buyers will be transacting at levels above what Bondi Junction has ever seen, which highlights both the lack of future supply in the area and the high quality product Stargate and SJB Architects have put together," Mansour says.

The lack of supply for anything new in Bondi Beach has seen numerous offers on the AYA Penthouse, the $26 million apartment crowning the Koichi Takada-designed Aqualine in Bondi Beach.

Mansour says the majority of buyer interest has been from expats who are familiar with Bondi Beach.

"There was some scepticism in launching such a rare, potentially record-breaking priced apartment, in the current economic climate, but the marketing has gone really well."

In Western Sydney, Ray White Projects Western Sydney Managing Director Mark Bernberg says we're now moving into a stabilisation phase for both property values and interest rates.

"Stabilization is a huge thing in property," Bernberg says.

"It removes the fear of the unknown and the fear of change. That will bring more buyers back into the market in the near term, and after a period of holding, barring external circumstances globally, the RBA will cut interest rates as inflation starts to noticeably come down. Rates coming down always results in prices going up.

"Buyers have more money in their pockets as borrowing capacity pops up. That will in turn see more stock come to the market as developers realise there are more buyers transacting."

McGrath Projects Associate Director Adam Sparkes says they are seeing a strong return of the investor.

"Investors such as sophisticated institutional purchasers and private investors buying through a SMSF through to first time investors are all seeing now is an excellent time to buy into a high quality development for a medium to long term hold," Sparkes says.

"The consumer is now more researched than they ever have been – we treat all new enquiry (owner occupiers or investors), coming to our team as a ‘white hot lead’," Sparkes says.

"As a general theme all are seeking high quality construction and a strong track record from the team behind a given development – both seen as crucial elements when considering buying a brand new or off-the-plan dwelling."

Sparkes is marketing Grand Reve by Kassis Homes, who are offering purchasers a 10-year structural defect policy, one of the first apartment towers in NSW in more than two decades to be given an insurance policy against building defects.

"This provides a genuine level of comfort for the consumer and has resulted in new sales from older enquiry now recognising quality will prevail – not only from the team behind the development, but the added safety of such an Insurance policy," Sparkes says.