Savills Australia and New Zealand has announced the expansion of its Victorian business with the addition of a new residential projects team.  Michael Lang will lead the team in the role of State Director, joined by Robert Bacelic (Channel Sales Lead), Micah Ashley (Associate Director) and Nicholas Boland (Associate Director).

The team will leverage over 60 years’ combined experience in the industry, providing expert advice and guidance to clients selling residential projects across Melbourne.

With over 20 years in the industry, Michael specialises in selling off the plan and established residential properties across the breadth and depth of Melbourne, while Robert has spent the past two decades driving property strategies for a range of high-net-worth private companies.  He has developed strong cross border and channel sale connections for off the plan residential.

Micah brings over a decade of experience, exceptional client servicing skills and attention to detail to his role, which focuses on apartment and townhouse project sales.  Nicholas also brings a decade of experience in residential sales across a broad spectrum of properties from boutique townhouses through to large scale apartment projects across Melbourne.

Speaking on the new appointments, Joe Phegan, State Managing Director – VIC at Savills Australia and New Zealand said the additional offering to the Victorian business was timely given forecasted market changes.

“Melbourne is already experiencing a severe shortfall of housing and with the city expected to become Australia’s fastest-growing city, outpacing Sydney’s population by 2030, there’s never been a greater urgency to help meet the steady demands for residential properties in the inner and city fringe Melbourne precincts,” Mr Phegan said.

“Apartment projects amongst existing infrastructure are expected to help address this shortage and, given their expertise and track records selling residential developments and off the plan stock, Michael and the team will be invaluable additions to the Melbourne office as they support our clients with strategies for design, marketing and sale of all types of built form residential across Melbourne.

“Over the past 10 years, Savills Melbourne has cemented its position as experts in development site sales and, in the past four years alone, have successfully sold more than 180 development opportunities representing over $1.5 billion. The addition of a dedicated residential project sales team was a natural progression in the growth trajectory of the Melbourne office,” Mr Phegan concluded.

Michael Lang, State Director - Residential Projects said, “Over the past decade, the apartment market has swung away from being predominately investor orientated to a more concentrated owner occupier-dominated market as the value and appeal of city and inner-fringe living has become ever more apparent.  

“Savills has a rich history in residential property dating back to 1855 and with 67 offices throughout Asia Pacific we are particularly excited about joining the brand.

“Despite the current market challenges, there’s never been a more exciting time to be partnering with our clients as we see a greater focus from all levels of government on providing a meaningful response to Melbourne’s housing shortage and the requirement for substantial new supply here in Melbourne,”

“We have identified a void in the marketplace for an offering that can cater to both boutique metro and prestige developers as well as inner city and CBD towers. We’re excited about growing the team further and leveraging Savills’ local, national and global reach for our clients,” Mr Lang concluded.