Canberra Apartment Investment Melbourne Investors Watch

The ACT apartment market does not get the column inches that Sydney and Melbourne do. That is one of the things making it interesting to a cohort of Melbourne investors who have grown wary of crowded trades in their home market.

The Lawson is a 244-apartment project beside Lake Ginninderra in Belconnen, Canberra, designed by Fender Katsalidis with interiors by Bond Theory and construction by Kuatro. For Melbourne property buyers, the Fender Katsalidis name carries weight — the firm's residential work in Melbourne includes Australia 108 and a number of other benchmark projects.

The development's residents-only wellness facility, Club Lawson, includes a pool, sauna, steam room, infrared sauna, gym, yoga studio, meditation rooms, residents lounge, co-working space, private dining and BBQ terrace. That breadth of amenity is uncommon in the ACT market, where most new apartment stock has historically offered limited lifestyle facilities.

The numbers

Two-bedroom apartments from under $500,000. Gross yields of 4.5 to 6 per cent. Vacancy below 1.5 per cent. Full depreciation schedules on a new build. Stamp duty at exchange on the land component only — not the completed dwelling value. A Federal Government employment base providing tenant stability that Melbourne's private-sector-weighted economy does not consistently deliver.

Remote purchase

Gaurav Pahwa of Apartment Collective manages sales for The Lawson and has facilitated a number of interstate purchases without buyers visiting Canberra. Pahwa, who spent formative years in sales at Geocon Group before founding Apartment Collective, provides floor plans, contract review referrals and property management introductions to buyers purchasing remotely.

The Haven release — 73 apartments, first of four stages — is currently available. Inquiries: the-lawson.com or 1800 311 975.

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