Residential Sales

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Channel 9 sports commentator and former World Surfing Champion legend Mark Warren and his wife Helen have secured $2,435,000 for their northern beaches home.

Their renovated North Avalon home with vaulted bamboo ceilings sold through LJ Hooker Palm Beach’s David Edwards who was suggesting $2 million plus for the home in North Avalon's so-called golden triangle.

Set two minutes walk to the beach and rockpool, the home sits on a <a href="https://palmbeach.ljhooker.com.au/35AF6Z/15-harley-rd-avalon-beach" target="_blank">level 930-square-metre Harley Road block</a> with tropical gardens. Its kitchen was designed by Brian Boaler.

The empty nest couple, who will downsize locally, bought it for $365,000 in 1995.

This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph. 

<h2>NSW properties now selling:</h2>

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Surfing champion Mark Warren sells on northern beaches

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/76310/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Chinese investors are often blamed for Australia’s escalating house prices but a number of factors might mean the demand will drop off in coming years.
A recently released report found investment in residential real estate by the Chinese is slowing. As the gap in rental yields between the two countries closes and house prices increase, Australian residential real estate is beginning to look less attractive. The lifting of restrictions on Chinese urban residential property ownership and personal investment monetary restrictions may also play a part.
China has 1,340 high net worth individuals and 568 billionaires. Their combined net worth is equivalent to Australia’s GDP.
Many Chinese investors have access to both legitimate and hidden income and wealth and seek to invest both in overseas real estate. This is at a time when China is in the grip of its own housing affordability crisis.
Why Australia has seemed attractive
In 2015, Chinese investors ploughed approximately A$6.8 billion into Australian commercial and residential real estate. Current Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) policies channel incoming real estate investment funding into new dwellings, creating additional jobs in construction and supporting economic growth.
Though temporary Australian residents may be required to sell older residential property when they leave Australia, many foreign nationals are able to retain, rent out, sell or live in newly constructed dwellings. This is a major draw card for Chinese investment in new residential buildings.
Other pull factors include Australia’s stable financial institutions, compared to China,, well regulated land title system, buoyant real estate market, high capital gains rates in major cities and lower deposit requirements.
Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) may keep an eye on these factors when considering new foreign investment in the housing market, but it struggles to counteract the push effect of Chinese property law restrictions and investor needs.
Factors in China at play
Conditions in China’s economy and regulatory environment also push Chinese investors to focus on overseas markets. The depreciation of the Chinese currency is a significant force. As this currency is devalued, Chinese investors reconsider what and where they can afford to purchase.
Australia’s rental yields of 2-3% in major cities are twice that of China’s. Legislative changes to residential property investment in China also makes Australia look appealing.
China has a dual property ownership system that segregates rural and urban land ownership systems. Rural cooperatives own the rural land ownership rights. Cooperative members can only sell to other members of the same rural cooperative.
This limits competition for rural land and keeps rural land prices low. But it also means rural land is an unattractive investment choice for Chinese.
Urban land, on the other hand, remains state owned with a 70 year lease system to housing owners. The system limits ownership of urban residential buildings to people with urban registration or those that have lived in and paid taxes in the same urban area for five consecutive years. This situation stops many Chinese from being able to purchase urban residential property.
Between 2011 and 2015, those who did have the appropriate registration were limited to a maximum purchase of two residential properties within their urban area – one property to live in and one as an investment. This limitation still applies in Beijing.
The limitation was put in place to counteract major housing affordability discontent as an increasing number of people were locked out of the housing market. This problem is exacerbated by the 30% deposit requirement on residential real estate purchases. This combination of factors forces many Chinese investors into purchasing properties on China’s black market where ownership is uncertain or seek investment opportunities outside China.
The Chinese State Administration of Foreign Exchange introduced new regulations to tighten the flow of capital from China in November 2016. This agency is tasked with the approval of outgoing overseas payments of more than US$5 million. However, most housing acquisitions in Australia fall below this limit.
From 2017, a new rule was introduced to limit the yearly foreign currency holding to US$50,000 for individual investors..
Larger Chinese development companies operating in Australia are known to sell individual residential units “off the plan” directly to Chinese property investors. Where this is the case, the developer has a vested interest in finding ways to circumvent the new limits on foreign currency holding in order to settle a contract. However, it will take time for developers to adjust their methods.
As house prices increase, rental yields generally fall. This is due to the large amount borrowed by investors compared to what they receive in rental income.
Though rent prices have increased significantly in Melbourne and Sydney, they have not kept pace with house prices. Rental yields have fallen in major cities.
In China, where the rental yield is 1-1.5%, some investors reconsider whether it is worth the effort of renting out their properties. Instead, they rely on the capital gain to create a profit while leaving the property vacant, preventing wear and tear to it. This practice has serious implications for the supply of rental properties in China.
As Australia continues to struggle with escalating house prices and decreasing rental yields, residential real estate investment becomes less attractive as a long term investment for Chinese investors. The reliance on capital gains may result in higher numbers of vacant properties in Australia, counteracting the FIRB’s intentions.
The restrictions enacted by Chinese regulators may slow the flow of money out of China in the short term. However, Chinese investors are likely to find ways to circumvent these restrictions. The lifting of restrictions on Chinese residential property ownership may refocus investment choice location to within China.
Erika Altmann<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erika-altmann-361218"> </a>is qualitative researcher, University of Tasmania and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/erika-altmann-361218">here</a>.
Zhixuan Yang is lecturer in Real Property Development and Management and author for The Conversation.
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Why Chinese investors find Australian real estate so alluring

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GUEST OBSERVER
Despite strong price increases for commercial property in this cycle, Australian assets are still provoking significant investor interest — especially prime real estate generating stable income streams for the medium to long-term. 
Yields for commercial property remain attractive compared with investments in Australian residential real estate, offshore commercial property and other asset classes. 
With investor interest predicted to remain strong through the balance of 2015, prices are set to rise even higher. As a result, yields are on track to hit and surpass previous peaks, riding a fresh wave of purchases, particularly by international investors. 
Commercial property transactions are forecast to jump to around $10 billion in the second half of 2015, rounding out the calendar year with a total of close to $20 billion.
<a href="/images/2015/09/24/Screen%20Shot%202015-09-24%20at%2010.02.53%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/09/24/Screen%20Shot%202015-09-24%20at%2010.02.53%20AM.png" alt=""> 
While this is lower than the $30 billion turnover in 2014, it is still well above long-term average annual turnover, and indicates continued growth across all sectors. 
That growth looks set to be supported by a continuation of low interest rates and affordable debt. 
Given these conditions, the volume and number of transactions is likely to span a wide range of prices, asset quality, sectors and markets, opening up new opportunities for investment at many levels of the property industry. 
At this late stage of the current cycle, it would be advisable for investors to adopt a medium-term view. However, it is not too late to invest in commercial property in the short term and see prices rise. 
Another strategy that may be used at this point in the cycle is to redevelop or re-position a property with unrealised potential — although the outcome will depend on the attractiveness of the location and occupational demand.
<a href="/images/2015/09/24/Screen%20Shot%202015-09-24%20at%209.26.02%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/09/24/Screen%20Shot%202015-09-24%20at%209.26.02%20AM.png" alt="">
 Kevin Stanley is head of property strategy and research, Corporate Financial Services, <a href="https://www.commbank.com.au" target="_blank">Commonwealth Bank</a>.
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Prime real estate generating stable income: CBA's Kevin Stanley

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The Mornington Peninsula property, Fargeet at Flinders, has been listed for December expressions of interest sale.
<a href="https://www.abercrombys.com.au/flinders-485-meakins-road-ab2767/">Abercromby’s agents Tim Bennetts and Jock Langley</a> has $9 million plus hopes for the property with gun-barrel views of Bass Strait.
The contemporary 2003-built home sits on a rise overlooking the ocean.
b.e Architects designed the house which builder Gary Hutchins sold the 37 hectare property in 2008 for $6.53 million to the Bittar family.
Offers close on December 14.
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Mornington Peninsula's Fargeet listed for sale

Five reasons why spring is not a good time to buy property: Brenton Tidow

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GUEST OBSERVER
Financial or economic risk is one of the greatest risks that exclusive buyers’ agents are faced with. They are dealing with a consumer who is arguably making the most significant financial decision of their lives. 
One of the most important roles of an exclusive buyers’ agent is to secure and negotiate a property for their client at the best price and on the best possible terms. In order to do this, one requires many of the skills similar to that required and expected of a qualified property valuer. 
Given this is the case, and a valuer requires something in the order of many years training at a minimum Diploma level, it seems at odds that the current market appraisal component of property services industry training curriculum is covered off in a class room environment over the space of a few days and without any practical application at all. 
A perfect case in point of the lack of skill in this area is evidenced by the recent changes made in NSW to address underquoting practices. 
1.2 Are there other issues that should be considered in assessing training standards? If so what are they? 
It is not just the present day but also the future state of the real estate and buyers’ agent industry that should be considered when assessing training standards. 
Raising the bar to enter and remain in the property services industry should not be seen as a negative proposition or short-term inconvenience. In the long term, higher training standards will serve the industry well by creating a more skilled, ethical and well-rounded property services professional. 
Consumers will ultimately benefit from the end result, which will confirm excellent service practice rather than theoretical knowledge as the key differentiator between property services professionals. 
In addition, lessons should be learned from other similar professional services industries such as financial planning and mortgage broking and the challenges they have faced and dealt with over the last few years. In particular, conflicts of interest have featured as a major challenge and brought some of the practices of those industries into question. 
1.3 What do you think should be the minimum educational standard for each category and why?
In regards to the entry level Certificate of Registration requirement it is considered that this should be accompanied by a more robust curriculum that also incorporates an experiential component such as an ‘on the job ‘supervisory element.
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This could be a set number of hours prescribed per week/month/annum where work must be supervised by an appropriately qualified superior or peer. This approach would place an onus on a licensee to endorse (or otherwise) and develop an employee so that they become suitably qualified and build up their technical skills and experience over time. After training in the core curriculum and having the required number of supervised hours, only then could someone be eligible to apply for a real estate buyers’ agent licence. 
In regards to the current licensing component, we believe buyers’ agent training should encompass the same number of the current modules that a full real estate licence entails, rather than the limited modules required at present. Understanding both sides of the real estate transaction is considered useful, even if not practiced, and thus the training should reflect this. 
2.1 Although it is clearly possible to enter the property services industry without any experience, how often does this occur? 
REBAA currently have three levels of membership for buyers’ agents: Full (minimum 24 months experience), Provisional (12-24 months experience) and Learner (new to industry and less than 12 months experience) with the majority of members being full members (91%). This is a reflection of REBAA membership only, however there are several buyers agencies being set up by principals and directors in NSW with little or no field experience in real estate, valuation or similar fields. Though currently legal, we believe this to be a concern for consumers and clearly needs to change. 
2.2 What are the practical consequences of the absence of a time based requirement to enter the property services industry? 
In summary, the consequences of having no time-based requirement to enter the property services industry include: 
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A lower quality and calibre of buyers’ agent entering and representing the property services industry. 
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Higher risk of mistakes and poor behaviours emerging through professional negligence and misconduct. 
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Misunderstanding the role and perception of an exclusive buyers’ agent and what they do, compared with someone who may operate within a real estate sales office as a buyers assistant and call themselves a buyers’ agent 
</li>
<li>Poor consumer perception of the buyers’ agent and property services industry overall.</li>
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People without a property background or actual experience entering the property services industry pose a real risk to those they represent. We have heard of cases of mortgage brokers or fanatical property investors setting up shop as so-called “property experts” and not conducting adequate due diligence on the properties they recommend to clients.</div>
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The key risks coming from a lack of time based experience may include: 
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Over-paying on property 
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Selecting poor investment grade property or locations 
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Coercing clients to buy inappropriate properties 
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Not listening / understanding client needs (especially home buyer clients) 
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Inappropriate auction tactics or behaviour 
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<li>Tarnish the reputation of buyers agents.</li>
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2.3 What does time based experience achieve?
Time based experience provides a learning-by-doing approach. This provides real life examples and scenarios where skills can be developed and practised, within a supervisory situation under a licensed professional, rather than relying on theory alone. Field experience is vital to build up knowledge, develop skills and learn from more experienced buyers’ agents.
The benefits of time-based experience include:
<ul>
<li>Exposure to industry best practice</li>
<li>More experienced buyers’ agent (property services) professionals</li>
<li>Greater chance of a better calibre, more experienced and professional buyer’s agent industry developing.</li>
<li>Consistency in quality and professionalism available to consumers</li>
<li>An industry where service and practical knowledge is the key differentiator for consumers when engaging a buyers’ agent.</li>
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<div class="column">3.1 What needs do the current CPD requirements meet?</div>
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 The current time commitment of CPD requirements in NSW seems generally fair.</div>
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 In terms of content range and accessibility however, they do seem to specifically cater to real estate sales professionals rather than more specialist streams of the property services industry such as buyers’ agents.</div>
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 Under the current system, without relevant content for all property services professionals, the existing continuing professional development model risks being treated as a box ticking exercise rather than something that encourages professionals to learn and genuinely advance their skills within their relevant fields.</div>
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 3.2 What are benefits of CPD and what are the costs to business?
 
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The general benefits of CPD where course content is relevant, accessible and is delivered effectively include: 
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Future investment in the industry 
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More experienced property services professionals who can mentor future members
In terms of the costs to business of CPD these can include:
<ul>
<li>down time where staff are unavailable whilst attending training</li>
<li>lack of return on investment (companies may pay for staff who then leave)</li>
<li>the actual economic cost (if paid for on behalf of staff)</li>
</ul>
If CPD courses were more relevant for buyers’ agents it is considered that the costs to business would be more readily accepted, recognised and embraced.
3.3 What are the problems or issues with the existing CPD regime in NSW?
REBAA has identified the following problems with the existing CDP regime in NSW:
Limited CPD courses or training with content relevant to professionals practicing as exclusive buyers’ agents.
<ul>
<li>There is an inherent assumption that all property services professionals start or stem from being a real estate sales professional</li>
<li>Lack of acceptance of non-property services industry delivered training as suitably meeting CPD requirements (e.g. improving general business skills, negotiation skills) which would arguably be better delivered by external providers outside of the property industry</li>
<li>Limited policing leads to complacency so an online system where property service professionals must log CPD attendance could be linked to renewal of licence. This is similar to a model that is adopted in New Zealand where a real estate licence will not be renewed if training is not logged.</li>
</ul>
3.4 Are the current requirements relevant?
In their current form, the existing CPD requirements in NSW in regards to buyers’ agents are overall not considered entirely relevant for the reasons previously stated.
Whilst the time commitment required for CPD compliance seems reasonable for existing property services professionals, the content range and therefore suitability for exclusive buyers’ agents is currently lacking.
REBAA considers that barriers to entry should increase in the first 2 years of entering the property services industry by mandating a higher CPD commitment that includes an ‘on the job’ style supervised coaching/training component where technical skills are the focus.
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4.1 What are the current problems with the delivery and assessment of training for the property services industry? 
There are a very limited number of providers who actually deliver specific training for buyers’ agents. 
Lack of consistency and quality in the content and depth of specific training for buyers’ agents delivered by the limited providers. Typically it is delivered on-line via correspondence or by practising real estate sales agents. 
At present, the delivery and assessment of training specifically aimed at buyers’ agents is entirely theory based with little or nil practical component required. 
The current training requirements for a buyers’ agent are such that a person can obtain a buyers’ agent licence with no practical experience at all. 
Whilst a course to obtain a buyers’ agent licence can be obtained in as few as 8 days, there are known cases where training providers delivering the content have shortcut the process to 3 days. This is a great shame and of significant concern for the industry and for those who attend. 
4.2 What problems have arisen and what are the impacts on the industry? 
Being able to act on behalf of buyers in a fiduciary role on what is often the largest financial decision of their lives requires professionals who are adequately trained, experienced, skilled and highly knowledgeable about the tasks they are performing. 
Consumers need to have confidence that their representative has been trained accordingly to manage the buying process and all that it entails, in a professional and diligent manner. 
The impact of inadequately trained, inexperienced or previously non-supervised agents being able to open a buyers’ agency and immediately act for buyers would include the following: 
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Lack of consumer faith in an industry that is already viewed as poorly-trained 
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Higher legal risks in terms of professional indemnity and claims from clients and relevant third parties
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Buyers being poorly informed about the process and potentially over-paying needlessly for a property
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<li>Receiving sub-standard service and results</li>
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4.3 What changes should be made to the delivery and assessment of training for the property services industry?</div>
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<div class="column">REBAA considers that consideration of specific training content suitable for the various streams of property services professionals should be more widely considered.</div>
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This potentially would include relevant course content for buyers’ agents developed specifically by buyers’ agents through professional associations such as REBAA and REINSW and include practical components that are more relevant specifically to buyers’ agents roles. 
Consideration/credit should also be provided to potentially recognise existing training delivered overseas (either on-line or face to face) developed for buyers’ agents in established markets such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America. 
In these markets, the buyers’ agent industry is well established and advanced when compared with Australia. With the exception of local market knowledge and intricacies the content of available courses could be much better suited. 
5.1 What are the key issues in relation to cross border operations of property and achieve? 
There are local property services professionals practising as buyers’ agent that work in a particular geographic area that spans multiple states, specifically the NSW/Victoria and NSW/QLD state borders. 
These professionals are currently required to obtain mutual recognition yet arguably are just as qualified as someone operating in one state. Rather than penalise these local operators, greater focus should be paced on interstate operators who have a faux presence in multiple states. 
There should be a greater focus placed on training requirements and assessable demonstrated knowledge of the local regulations and property laws before interstate licences are effectively rubber stamped as mutually accepted. 
5.2 What are the current barriers to achieving mutual recognition? 
It would appear there are currently limited barriers to mutual recognition for buyers’ agents. In many states, the mere payment of a fee will secure mutual recognition of a real estate licence permitting someone to operate in another jurisdiction. 
REBAA considers that greater emphasis should be placed on an applicant to be able to demonstrate they have the required local market knowledge before they can secure mutual recognition and practice in another jurisdiction. 
5.3 How might we improve mutual recognition for auctioning of property and livestock? 
REBAA does not feel this question is relevant to buyers’ agents.
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Rich Harvey is president, The Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia (REBAA) and can be contacted <a href="https://www.rebaa.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>. This is his submission to NSW Fair Trading on the Review of property industry training standards.
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Professional development model risks being treated as a box ticking exercise: Rich Harvey

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A Victorian Norwood home built in 1858 has been listed with $1.4 million hopes.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-norwood-119911257" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">105 William Street</a> two-storey converted hotel is constructed of Bluestone and has a total land size of 690 square metres.
The property is currently being used as an eight-bedroom residence, with four living areas, study and dining. There are also three kitchens and three bathrooms.
The hotel was converted into a residence in 1909 and consists of 18 rooms, with a total living area of 360 square metres.
The home re-embraces its South Australian colonial heritage with fireplaces with cedar surrounds, polished floorboards, colonial windows and a interior Baltic and cedar spiral staircase.
The home is listed through Robert Maiolo from MyHouse Real Estate Manningham.
 
 
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1858 Norwood converted hotel listed

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Grunberg, a historic Richmond cottage, with a Heritage Victoria plaque since 1988, was sold after its single bid weekend auction.
No price has been revealed after being passed in at $1.7 million.
<a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/36-lesney-street-richmond/Property-Details-buy-residential-9556898" target="_blank">The 36 Lesney Street</a> country-style home, with a 120 year-old magnolia tree, was built in 1853.
It was marketed as a wonderful example of gold-rush era architecture with Jellis Craig auctioneer Andrew Macmillan saying homes like this were mostly found in Ballarat and Castlemaine. 
It last traded at $350,000 in 1989.
It takes its name from Friedrich and Caroline Grunbeerg who arrived in Australia aboard the Godeffroy in February 1849.
They were from Altona in Holstein and both aged 31. They had been married on 1 June 1844, but only after receiving special approval to do so from King Christian 8th of Denmark, who then ruled Holstein.
The King’s permission was required as Friedrich, son of Christian Johann Michael Grünberg, tailor and Elisabeth Anna Agneta (née Langbehn), was a commoner, whereas Caroline was of noble birth.
Caroline Friedericke von Schimmelmann, born 15 February 1817, was the daughter of Graf Carl von Schimmelmann and Ilsabe Catherina (née Dablestein).
The couple married in Caroline’s family home, the Castle Ahrenburg.
Friedrich Grünberg was an original landholder at Westgarthtown, or Dry Creek, as it was then known. 
To legally purchase his land, Friedrich had been naturalized as a New South Wales citizen in 1851, his occupation given as carpenter.
In 1852, Friedrich bought an acre of land at Richmond for £25/12/- (Lots 3 &amp; 4, Portion 8, Parish of Jika Jika).
The access road he created was first known as Gruenberg Street, but by the mid 1860s changed to Lesney Street. 
Friedrich died at Altona in Holstein in 1887, aged 69, during a visit to the then Prussian province.
Caroline returned to Australia and lived at 32 Lesney Street until her death in 1902 aged 85. 
Caroline’s cottages at 30 and 32 Lesney Street were left to the Ahrensburg church, but only after lifetime possession by her great-nephews Christian Frederick Grünberg and George Gottsleben Grünberg, the sons of Christian Grünberg who arrived in Australia in 1863. 
George died in 1916 but Christian lived on until 1944. Caroline’s estate was finally settled in 1953 when it was granted exemption from the Enemy Property Regulations securing £1,270 from the sale of the cottages.
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Richmond 1853 Grunberg cottage sells

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/69487/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
The government is proposing changes to the foreign investment framework that will allow a foreign real estate investor to purchase an off the plan dwelling when another foreign investor has failed to reach settlement.
In announcing the changes, Treasurer Scott Morrison deployed a familiar narrative about foreign investment increasing housing supply and making “housing more affordable for more Australians”.
This idea is in keeping with property development lobbyists, who are focused on getting government to release more land to solve the complex long-term housing affordability problem in cities. 
However, researchers have debunked this idea before (see here and here). Their conclusion is that government cannot supply its way out of the housing affordability problem in major Australian cities.
The government’s focus on the concerns of the property industry renders invisible a broader set of interested parties and a much more nuanced suite of contributing factors and solutions.
The current foreign investment rules are a blunt set of regulatory tools, held captive to the housing supply and global competitiveness debates. 
<h2>Not all foreign real estate investors are the same</h2>
There are important differences between individual foreign real estate investors, which are regularly conflated in foreign investment policy and the public debate.
In broad terms, there are four investor groups. A class-based distinction defines people from the expanding middle class in countries like China. They are called the new middle class.
A disposable asset distinction, which excludes primary residences, separates the three remaining groups. High net worth individuals have disposable assets that exceed US$1 million. Ultra high net worth individuals have asset holdings in excess of US$30 million. Ultra, ultra high net worth individuals have a minimum of US$50 million in disposable assets in a wealth management fund.
In the absence of fine-grained data about which groups are investing and their differential impacts on cities and housing, the treasurer has opted to protect the development industry rather than the people and places within cities. 
A regulatory environment that is sensitive to various investor groups is important in Australia because different investors impact their host cities in diverse ways. 
<h2>Regulating foreign investors, sales or capital</h2>
How foreign capital intersects with local real estate markets depends onon who is investing capital, the properties in which the capital is being invested and the investment vehicles through which the capital is being transferred.
The arrival of foreign capital is not always accompanied by the arrival of new permanent residents for the city. Therefore, the investors interact with local infrastructure and shape housing supply in diverse ways.
There is a big difference between the impacts of new middle class and high net worth investors in cities compared to ultra and ultra, ultra high net worth investment.
Ultra, ultra high net worth individuals can be “free-floating” investors who travel around the world, purchasing real estate in various global cities. Rowland Atkinson argues this group has little allegiance to the host neighbourhoods. 
Ultra high net worth investors might move between multiple residences and have attachments to the neighbourhoods their properties are in. The new middle class and high net worth investors might live in, or send their spouse and/or children to live in, the house they have purchased. They often have an allegiance to the cities or neighbourhoods their properties are in.
The personal motivations of foreign investors are important too. They can extend far beyond financial considerations.
Foreign investors are motivated by the opportunities that exist in Australia and how these relate to their own migration plans, their children’s education and the financial security that Australian real estate supposedly guarantees. 
Therefore, who is investing and their residency status will shape the neighbourhood, city and perhaps even the country into the future. 
Neighbourhoods with high concentrations of ultra high net worth investors in London appear to be (or may be) devoid of people. Local businesses in these suburbs have become untenable as local patronage declines. 
New middle class and high net worth investors might change the social fabric, educational institutions or employment landscape of a neighbourhood or city through habitation, for good or ill. 
International evidence shows that some investors will occupy their property, others place it on the rental market, some buy multi-million-dollar trophy homes, while others increase the housing supply in a neighbourhood of absentee owners and fading businesses. 
Therefore, the impact of foreign investors on housing supply is related to the investment practises of each investor, the amount of capital they bring into Australia and how they invest it. 
<h2>More dynamic foreign investment rules needed</h2>
Housing supply and global competitiveness arguments have captured the foreign real estate investment debate. Both are too simplistic and need to be augmented with additional voices, policies and data. 
Governments justify their pro-foreign investment and business immigration policies through “financial benefits” arguments in times of prosperity and “economic necessity” arguments in times of hardship. 
These top-down narratives position foreign real estate investment as good for the local economy, with secondary benefits such as increasing housing supply and jobs growth through targeted skill migration and business development. 
The government needs to understand how foreign investment is shaping cities from the ground up. This includes: how foreign investment impacts people in the local neighbourhoods where these properties are located; how developers change the dwellings they build to suit foreign investors; how changing educational institutions are shaping foreign student investment; and the experience of first homebuyers who are looking for a home in the same property markets.
Dallas Rogers is urban studies researcher: Institute for Culture and Society &amp; Urban Research Program, Western Sydney University and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dallas-rogers-5269" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Changes for off the plan foreign buyers rely on a broken supply argument

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GUEST OBSERVER
Marketing to Chinese consumers is a hot topic for all businesses across different sectors.
 A common misperception for businesses is that they need to be in China to sell to Chinese consumers. This has prompted developers and agencies to invest in roadshows, exhibitions and seminars at China’s prime real estate and events, only to result in expensive failures.
With the growing Chinese population in Australia, sellers need not look too far in reaching out to their prospective Chinese buyers. At ACproperty.com.au we believe there are 3 reasons why you should begin your marketing locally before embarking on overseas marketing investments.
1. Chinese buyers rely on word of mouth recommendations from Australians
The most effective and efficient way of marketing to mainland Chinese buyers is to build a loyal following among the local Chinese communities, who can endorse your brand. Most prospective mainland Chinese buyers have friends and relatives living in Australia. This is one of the biggest reasons that influences their decision to migrate to Australia. The first thing most of them will do is to speak their relatives living in Australia, to understand which area is suitable for their lifestyle and to gain recommendations on property investments, developers or real estate agents.
Glen Waverly High and Balwyn High are classic examples on the success of word of mouth recommendations. None of the schools have advertised in China, yet every prospective mainland Chinese buyers would have heard of Glen Waverley and Balwyn School zones.
Speaking from experience, ACproperty.com.au has been enjoying tremendous success as evident from our 65 percent growth of inbound traffic from China for the past 3 years, while mainly concentrating our marketing efforts on the local Chinese communities and student associations.
2. Chinese migrants in Australia are buying properties too
A significant amount of our web traffic is from high quality leads in Australia. Agents and developers alike will find a group of high conversion Chinese customers right under their noses. The value in targeting this group grows exponentially once we realise that this is the same group that will be recommending your brand to their peers overseas.
3. Chinese buyers want authentic and unbiased local property information
A consistent piece of feedback we receive from our users is that when buying Australian property, they prefer to access an Australian site (vs. Chinese-based sites) so they can access vital local Australian market experience. Our Chinese Concierge Team are constantly receiving calls from buyers wanting to validate information they receive from Chinese sources, which they perceive as biased or incomplete.
To successfully capture the Chinese market, developers and agents should first market to the local Chinese communities, cultivating a loyal following before expanding into overseas marketing. Not only are they potential buyers, they are also huge influencers of their overseas peers. Chinese buyers also view Australian sites and sources as more trustworthy and knowledgeable. 
Australian agents and developers should leverage this inherent credibility to reach international customers and ensure their brand is top of mind among the Chinese community to successfully capture the Chinese market.
Esther Yong is director of <a href="https://www.acproperty.com.au" target="_blank">ACproperty.com.au</a>.
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