Strata levies waived as riverside luxury beckons for first homebuyers
Ideally located between the city and Parramatta, these ready-to-live-in apartments are an attractive option to get a foot on the property ladder
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First homebuyers can kiss strata levies goodbye for the first two years under a unique offering at One The Waterfront, a boutique luxury development at Wentworth Point. Developer Piety Group and agents Laver Residential Projects are offering all buyers free strata levies for the first two years of ownership, valued at about $11,000 in savings.
As interest rates continuing to rise and trades still in high demand, it’s good news for those looking to enter the market.
Project director at Laver Residential Projects, Sam Elbanna, said the incentive, available via Kanebridge Finance, is to provide buyers with clarity and free up funds to protect their investment.
“Now buyers know they are covered and they can use the next two years to plough the money that would have gone to strata levies into their mortgages,” he said.
Overlooking Parramatta River, One The Waterfront offers one, two and three-bedroom apartments among leafy, thoughtfully designed landscaped gardens. The residences have been designed by Stanisic Architects with careful attention to light, ventilation and connection to the outdoors to create a true community environment.
With access to more than 5000sqm of green space, One The Waterfront offers amenities including walking tracks, barbecue facilities, exercise stations and children’s playgrounds.
This is in addition to a fee free commercial gym, swimming pools, tennis courts and an outdoor rooftop cinema. But perhaps the most outstanding feature in this resort-style locale is Club One Lounge, an exclusive, discreet space with communal dining room and lounge, 20-person cinema and games room.
In addition to the Parramatta Ferry, public transport options include rail stations at Rhodes and Olympic Park to the city, as well as the planned Light Rail stop directly in front of the development linking locals to Parramatta.
It’s a lot to offer on a site less than 15km from the city centre, Mr Elbanna said.
“One of my buyers was a developer of another project who is buying for his daughter,” Mr Elbanna said. “He said that there is simply no way this development can be replicated and sold at these prices again in such close proximity to the Sydney and Parramatta CBDs.”
One The Waterfront is now on sale. Email property@kanebridge.com.au to learn more about living in this community and claim free strata levies for two years, valued around $11,000 in savings.
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Strong consumer spending and tight supply have driven retail to the top of commercial property, but signs of pressure are starting to emerge.
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Australia’s retail property sector entered 2026 as the strongest performing commercial asset class, but rising geopolitical risks and cost pressures are beginning to test its resilience, according to new research from Knight Frank.
The latest Australian Retail Review shows the sector rode a wave of consumer spending and constrained supply through 2025, delivering total returns of 9.2 per cent and driving transaction volumes up 43 per cent year-on-year to $14.4 billion.
That momentum carried into early 2026, with around $3.6 billion in deals recorded in the first quarter alone.
“Retail clearly emerged as the standout commercial property performer in 2025,” said Knight Frank Senior Economist, Research & Consulting Alistair Read.
“Improving household spending, limited new supply and stronger leasing fundamentals combined to drive better income growth and renewed investor confidence in the sector.”
Spending rebound drives retail strength
A lift in household spending has been central to the sector’s performance. Consumer spending rose 4.6 per cent year-on-year to February 2026, supported by easing inflation and improving real incomes.
That shift flowed directly into retailer performance, with average EBIT margins across major retailers rising to 8.9 per cent in the first half of 2026, their strongest level in several years.
“Stronger consumer spending was critical in restoring momentum to the retail sector,” Mr Read said.
“Retailers have generally been better able to absorb costs, rebuild margins and support sustainable rental outcomes, particularly in higher-quality centres.”
Improved trading conditions also pushed leasing spreads up 4.2 per cent in 2025, reinforcing income growth and supporting capital values.
Geopolitical tensions begin to bite
But the outlook has become more complicated. The report warns that escalating conflict in the Middle East and its impact on fuel prices, supply chains and interest rates could weigh heavily on consumer spending.
“Higher fuel prices, flow-on cost pressures across supply chains, and recent interest rate increases are collectively squeezing household budgets, and early consumer sentiment data suggests confidence is already softening,” Mr Read said.
“While household balance sheets remain generally resilient, heightened uncertainty over future costs is likely to weigh on spending — particularly in discretionary categories — in the months ahead.”
The impact is already being felt in investment activity. While the year began strongly, transaction volumes slowed in March as investors paused amid the uncertainty.
“Early indicators suggest elevated uncertainty has already begun to affect the market. While retail investment enjoyed its strongest start to a year in a decade, with nearly $3 billion transacted by the end of February, activity stalled in March, as investors took a pause amid elevated uncertainty,” Mr Read said.
Solid foundations support medium-term outlook
Despite the near-term headwinds, Knight Frank maintains that the sector’s underlying fundamentals remain strong. Limited new supply, high construction costs and population growth are expected to continue supporting rental growth over the medium term.
“Retail has entered this period of uncertainty from a position of strength,” Mr Read said.
“Supply-side constraints, population growth and improving income fundamentals remain powerful structural supports for the sector.”
The report highlights several trends shaping the year ahead, including steady yields as interest rates rise, mounting pressure on tenant margins, continued outperformance of prime centres, the growing need for logistics integration, and risks linked to underinvestment in capital expenditure.
For now, retail remains a sector with momentum, but one increasingly at the mercy of forces far beyond the shopping centre.
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