The final Sydney Plan sets the strategic direction for growth to 2046, when Sydney’s population is projected to reach 6.6 million. The NSW Government says the city will need at least 800,000 additional homes and 950,000 more jobs over that period, while councils will be expected to maintain at least 30 years of feasible housing capacity through their local planning frameworks. For owners and investors, the plan matters because it will influence where future rezoning, infrastructure and higher-density housing are prioritised across Sydney.
Sydney sellers accept deeper discounts as the market slows
New data shows sellers across a number of Sydney suburbs are accepting substantial discounts as softer buyer demand increases purchasers' negotiating power. In some areas more than two thirds of vendors accepted a discount, while a recent Frenchs Forest sale was $500,000 below its original asking price.
Landmark Vaucluse church returns to market as a designer home
The former Wentworth Memorial Church at 32B Fitzwilliam Road, Vaucluse has returned to the market after being transformed into a luxury residence. The heritage modernist property, bought for $9.3 million in 2023, retains original architectural elements while adding harbour-facing living spaces and contemporary finishes.
Labor housing tax reforms were expected to put downward pressure on prices
The Australian
Labor for Housing convenor Julijana Todorovic says a fall in home values was an expected consequence of the government’s changes to property tax concessions, arguing that rapidly rising prices needed to be restrained to improve access for younger Australians. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has also acknowledged the reforms are one factor behind the recent housing downturn, while noting that higher interest rates had already weakened demand. The debate comes as housing values have fallen across the capital cities and the Reserve Bank has warned the tax changes may also contribute to higher rents and weaker residential construction.
NSW strata committee training rules start from 1 October
New NSW strata reforms commence on 1 October 2026. New and returning strata committee members will generally need to complete free online training within three months of appointment, with exemptions including two-lot schemes, strata managing agents and certain short-term vacancies. From the same date, two-lot strata schemes such as many duplexes will no longer need to complete annual Strata Hub reporting, reducing the compliance burden for smaller schemes.
NSW moves closer to 10-year apartment defect insurance
NSW has passed legislation laying the final groundwork for Decennial Liability Insurance, a 10-year insurance product intended to protect apartment owners against the cost of rectifying serious building defects. The cover is designed to stay with the building and respond even if the original developer or builder later becomes insolvent. Building Commission NSW will work with prospective insurers to align policies with the new legislative requirements before broader market rollout.
NSW Fair Trading steps up underquoting enforcement
NSW Fair Trading’s Strata and Property Taskforce has used undercover inspections at open homes to test whether agents’ advertised price guidance matches agency records and buyer feedback. The operation resulted in fines, warnings and mandatory education directions, reinforcing the state’s tougher approach to price transparency and underquoting compliance.
NSW tenancy protections change again from 21 September
NSW Fair Trading says stronger tenancy protections for victim-survivors of domestic violence will commence on 21 September 2026. Among the operational changes, when a domestic violence termination notice is given, responsibility for notifying remaining co-tenants will shift to the landlord or agent, with notification required within seven days. The reforms also expand privacy and security protections, including rules around advertising photos that show a tenant's possessions and broader circumstances in which locks may be changed without landlord consent. Sydney landlords and agents should review procedures before the commencement date so notices, privacy handling, access and tenancy records are managed consistently with the new requirements.
