ABS building approvals June 2026: apartment approvals up 13%, Housing Accord shortfall widens

New dwelling approvals rose 7.2 per cent in June to 18,328, seasonally adjusted, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on 30 July 2026 — ending three consecutive months of decline.

The gain was led by higher-density housing. Private sector dwellings excluding houses — a category covering apartments, townhouses and semi-detached homes — rose 17.8 per cent in June to 7,138, following an 11.0 per cent fall in May. In original terms, apartment approvals alone rose 69.9 per cent in the month to 4,888, which the ABS said was 21.9 per cent above the 12-month average.

Private sector house approvals rose a more modest 0.4 per cent to 10,631, the sixth consecutive month above 10,000 and 15.8 per cent higher than a year earlier. Queensland recorded the largest rise in house approvals (up 2.9 per cent) and South Australia the highest level since August 2021 (up 2.8 per cent), while Western Australia fell 5.4 per cent after a 9.0 per cent rise in May.

For the 2025-26 financial year, 205,249 dwellings were approved in original terms, a 9.2 per cent rise on the 187,944 approved in 2024-25 and the highest annual total since 2020-21. Within that, apartment approvals rose 13.2 per cent for the year, to 48,778 from 43,079. ABS head of construction statistics Daniel Rossi said the average approval value for a new house also continued to climb, reaching $517,430 for the financial year, up 5.0 per cent on $492,931 in 2024-25.

Non-residential building approvals fell 24.7 per cent in June to $8.26 billion, after a record high in May, pulling the total value of building approved down 5.5 per cent to $20.00 billion for the month.

Master Builders Australia, reacting to the same release, said the annual approvals total left the country 47,750 homes short of what is required to meet the National Housing Accord target of 253,000 a year. “The big message from today’s figures is that 47,750 fewer homes were built over the year compared with what we needed, and marks two consecutive years of Accord target shortfall,” said Shane Garrett, the association’s chief economist. Garrett said the Reserve Bank governor had recently acknowledged the housing market was weaker as a result of higher interest rates and recent government policy changes.

Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn said cost pressures were central to the shortfall, arguing that building a new home is now “almost 50 per cent more expensive than it was before the pandemic,” and citing a Productivity Commission estimate that regulatory costs add around $320,000 to the price of a new house. Wawn called for governments to address construction costs, lift productivity and address workforce shortages.

Long-term optimism remains strong in the United Arab Emirates, even as the war in neighboring Iran hinders home sales and demand for now.

While there have certainly been residential and commercial real estate projects across the U.A.E. that have been paused or delayed due to the turmoil experienced across the region, by and large, new developments continue to be launched.

That’s the case in the luxury residences sector in particular, where a string of starry, big-name projects are putting homes on the market before the close of the year. One trend is that the islands of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the U.A.E. at large that are taking their turn in the spotlight, as waterfront living continues to be in demand and come at a premium.

For would-be buyers looking for resort-style homes along the shores, there’s an array of upcoming projects to get excited about. Right at the top of the list are hotel branded residences from the likes of Ritz-Carlton and Janu, the sister brand of powerhouse Aman, among five swanky projects selling this season.

Credit: The Ritz-Carlton Residences Al Maryah Island

The Ritz-Carlton Residences Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi

Luxury hotel branded residences are thriving, and the exciting Ritz-Carlton Residences Al Maryah Island development is a great example of why. Residents can expect hotel-style amenities and services from a locale within Abu Dhabi’s thriving waterfront district, with the creature comforts of home built into it.

This project was unveiled at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025 and promises to offer The Ritz-Carlton brand’s signature, timeless style and unwavering attention to detail. All units will feature floor-to-ceiling windows with enviable views, while residents will be able to take advantage of a resort-grade, infinity waterfront pool, immersive spa and wellness facilities, and a waterfront promenade with curated outdoor spaces as well as high-end retail and dining venues.

Sales launch in October.

Number of Units: 172

Price Range: Starting at $1.2 million

Developer/Architect: Killa Design and Tara Bernerd, with SAAS Properties.

Home Sizes: One- to four-bedroom residences ranging from 882 square feet to 4,962 square feet, and a five-bedroom, 13,713-square-foot penthouse.

Amenities: Wellness facilities including premium fitness center, massage room, meditation and recovery rooms, cold plunge and indoor pool. There’s also a rooftop pool, co-working lounge, executive golf lounge, and a games room and children play area.

Website

Janu Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah

Just 50 minutes from Dubai International Airport, Janu Al Marjan Island aims to both feel a world apart from the city, while also offering supreme ease of access. The property has its own private stretch of beach and marina, ideal for superyacht mooring and serving as the scene of a beach club.

The Janu Residences will be positioned next to the Janu hotel, with residents able to take advantage of its many social and wellness spaces, in addition to resident’s-only amenities and services. Meanwhile, the adjacent Wynn Al Marjan Island, the U.A.E.’s first integrated resort, is in direct proximity as well.

Social life by the sea, with discretion and wellness on tap, not to mention a chance to get in early on burgeoning Ras Al Khaimah.

Sales launch in late October.

Number of Units: 73

Price Range: Starting at $2.3 million

Developer/Architect: Jointly developed by Marjan and Wynn Resorts, with architecture by SCDA Architects.

Home Sizes: One- to five-bedroom residences ranging from 2,117 square feet to 18,955 square feet, as well as five Marina Villas and a residential tower penthouse.

Amenities: An active lifestyle comes to the forefront with the Janu Spa and Wellness center and a padel court. Six dining venues and a signature beach club are key features for residents who want it all, right on-site.

Website

Sei Saadiyat, Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi

Located in the Saadiyat Cultural District, Sei Saadiyat combines its historic locale with a unique spin rooted in the Japanese concept of stillness and calm, or “Sei.” That foundational principle is what this community will be based on, with a mission to foster wellness and relaxation in all forms, including fitness and social connection.

A total of 778 homes will be spread across six Jacobs-designed buildings. Aldar is also introducing a first in their residential portfolio in the form of their two-bedroom Kanso Lofts at Sei Saadiyat, featuring double-height, open-plan living in loft style spaces including an elevated bedroom.

Phase one sales launched in September.

Number of Units: 778 total (265 involved in this phase one launch)

Price Range: Starting at $800,000

Developer/Architect: Aldar with architecture by Jacobs and interiors by Kettle Collective.

Home Sizes: Residences range from 753 square feet to 2,238 square feet, in a range of floor plans including one- and two-bedroom apartments, three-bedroom Kanso Residences and two-bedroom Kanso lofts.

Amenities: Amenities tie into the brand’s ethos of stillness and calm: expect a Zen garden with serenity pool and outdoor yoga decks, along with numerous indoor and outdoor fitness areas, and hot-and cold-pool experiences.

Website

Amali Canal Residences

Amali Canal Residences is located on Dubai Canal in Al Wasl. The community is suspended above the canal, and brings the presence of water even closer to home with a number of features including private plunge pools in every residence, and a swim-through, indoor-outdoor pool with a signature waterfall facade that would make the posh resorts of the Swiss Alps blush.

There will be no shortage of on-site entertainment and diversions, whether in the form of a private cinema and resident bowling alley, cigar lounge and library, padel and sports courts, a panoramic fitness center. Then there’s The Retreat, a wellness center incorporating spa, sauna, steam, onsen baths, hydrotherapy, and yoga and pilates studios. When it’s time for a bit of work in between the diversions, residents can use an executive boardroom, private studies and co-working lounges.

Sales launch in October.

Number of Units: 211

Price Range: Two bedrooms starting at $3.9 million; three bedrooms starting at $5.4 million; four bedrooms starting at $7.4 million; penthouse pricing on request.

Developer/Architect: Amali Properties in collaboration with AHS Properties, with architecture by Killa Design and interior design by HBA Residential.

Home Sizes: Two- to four-bedroom apartments ranging from 2,880 square feet to 7,800 square feet, in addition to four- and five-bedroom penthouses ranging up to 21,000 square feet.

Amenities: 55,000 square feet of interconnected amenity spaces including myriad lounges, infinity pools with cabanas, children’s waterpark and child care center, padel court and a rooftop secret garden.

Website

Rixos Residences Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi

The Rixo Residences on Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi, are designed to match its island environs with the thriving culture and finance dynamics of the city. Panoramic water and skyline views bring both faces to life, in this East & West Properties project.

Residences showcase expansive terraces offering boundless views from within a community centered around three dedicated amenity zones: the Oasis, the Haven and the Gathering. Together, wellness, fitness, social life and relaxation are all available in a number of formats.

Less than half a mile from the coast, and only 10 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi, Rixos Residences offers generous layouts and amenity-rich public spaces that deliver equally as well for family-friendly living as well as investors.

Sales launched in August.

Number of Units: 386

Price Range: One-bedrooms starting at $570,000, with larger loft units starting at $1.8 million.

Developer/Architect: East & West Property Development under the Ennismore portfolio, with architect Aedas and interiors by HBA Residential.

Home Sizes: One- to two-bedroom apartments as well as three- and four-bedroom lofts, from 954 square feet to 2,941 square feet.

Amenities: Wellness treatment areas as well as Turkish hammam and steam rooms, landscaped walking tracks, padel court, rooftop clubhouse and plunge pool, private cinema, and services including concierge, valet and security.