DETROIT LAKES — As the 2024-25 boys hockey season skates towards the first games, preseason rankings are the talk on the ice. But the hockey heads are forgetting to mention a Detroit Lakes team that is primed to showcase what they’ve been working on throughout the offseason. The Lakers aren’t affected by the early season polls. Detroit Lakes sees it as bulletin board material to turn some heads as the puck drops for the season opener on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Fergus Falls. ADVERTISEMENT “That's a good thing for us because we have something to prove, and I think the guys are showing that every day in practice,” sixth-year head coach Ben Noah said. The excitement of strapping on the skates and buckling on the bucket is being echoed around the locker room. Senior captain and Lakers defenseman Jace Fields knows they have a good team heading into the season. “We're all looking forward to getting on the ice and playing with each other,” he said. “That's always fun. We got a good schedule and a bunch of good teams. I think we're all ready to battle this whole season.” Nine months ago, the Lakers fell to East Grand Forks in the Section 8A semifinals. Noah used three words to describe last season: “ growth as a program .” A 12-14-1 overall record might not have shown it because of a tougher schedule, but last year's sum was a step in the right direction. Detroit Lakes saw it all come to fruition in its quarterfinal matchup against Crookston where the Lakers throttled the Pirates 7-1. Historically Detroit Lakes would’ve played to the level of the competition due to the level of opponents throughout the season. “ Because we had that tougher schedule last year, when it came down to the very end, we had our own identity and we were able to dominate that game,” Noah said. “Now, going into a fresh season, our next goal is to find ways to win those close hockey games that we were finding ways to lose last year. With all of our roster one year older and with all that experience, I feel confident that we're going to be able to get those things done.” The bolstered schedule led to a 1-8 schedule against some of the top teams in Class A and a 2-7-1 record in January with four games against ranked opponents after a red-hot December. The Lakers also had 14 games that were decided by two or less goals. Detroit Lakes came out on the winning end in just four. ADVERTISEMENT Senior captain and forward Easton Wahl saw most of those crushing losses from the sidelines after missing the most season with a lower-body injury. He sees that this year as a different story. “We lost a lot of the close games and couldn't really pull through on the games that we needed to win, which hopefully we can change that around this year,” Wahl said. “We have a lot more hard, tough games that we're going to be playing as well. So hopefully we can battle through those and get the wins.” The Lakers enter their first season in the Central Lakes Conference . The change added three new opponents, Rocori, Brainerd, and Sartell, to the schedule. But Detroit Lakes asked more top competition to test its talents. The Section 2A champions and the Class A consolations finalists Orono welcome the Lakers on Dec. 27 and the Section 1A champions Northfield will host Detroit Lakes the following day. The Lakers will also see the Class A champions St. Cloud Cathedral on Feb. 1 and Alexandria who were crowned Section 6A champions and a CLC rival on Dec. 17. Five of the eight Class A state tournament teams will face off against Detroit Lakes this season. It’s all part of the Lakers' game plan to turn heads. “If you look at our schedule, the hockey analysts around Minnesota high school hockey would tell you that we are underdogs in 17 of our 25 games on our schedule,” Noah said. “I look at it like it's an opportunity. Anytime that you get a chance to play a team that's better than you on paper, it's an opportunity to prove the critics wrong. That's our mentality going into the season is every challenge is an opportunity.” Detroit Lakes likes their chances against the better teams this year. Detroit Lakes lost four seniors but return eight juniors. That time on the ice will play a crucial role to the team’s success. ADVERTISEMENT “We're going to be a lot closer with those better teams just because of the experience that we have,” junior captain Easton Kennedy said. “From last year, we have a lot of the guys returning, which is going to help learning from the close games we had last year and the losses we had. So I think that we're going to be a lot more ready and equipped to go in those big battle games, so it should be good.” One of the Lakers strong suits last year was its defense. Detroit Lakes held its opponents to 67 total goals with seven clean sheets. Kale Witt was the team’s go-to goalie allowing 46 goals on 490 shots and finished with 444 saves. The man in the net is currently a three-kid race between sophomores Griffin Lindberg, Noah Germain, and Brayton Boit. Lindberg got his fair share of starts last season. He went 4-3 with 128 saves and surrendered 14 goals. Noah said the hot hand is in Griffin’s glove but the two other sophomores are chomping at the bit. But the defensemen will be there to keep the puck away from their net. “I'm confident in our goaltending situation,” Noah said. “It's always healthy to have internal competition within your team. We're blessed as a program to have all three of them. Defensively, from our blue line, we've got two great seniors in Jace Field and Tommy Suckert and a great 200-foot defenseman in Hudson Pettit that we're super confident that those three are going to anchor our back-end. I think they're going to give us a really good chance to win.” Section 8A is one of the best in the state. Teams like Warroad and East Grand Forks are regarded as two of the best in the state and the class. The expectations are high with the returning players Detroit Lakes has. Their reign of terror will be a direct result of everyone coming to practice with the mindset of getting better. ADVERTISEMENT “There's going to be some of those practices that absolutely suck, but you just need to get your nose on the grindstone and just get better every day so that you can come into those tougher games that we have,” senior captain Tommy Suckert said. “So you’re not like you're completely shell-shocked because our practices are just easy. We just got to work every day.” 2024-25 schedule Nov. 23 at Fergus Falls, 7 p.m. Nov. 26 at East Grand Forks, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29 vs. St. Cloud Crush, 7 p.m. Nov. 30 at Rocori, 7:15 p.m. Dec. 6 at Thief River Falls, 7 p.m. Dec. 10 at Crookston, 7 p.m. Dec. 17 vs. Alexandria, 7 p.m. Dec. 20 at Willmar, 7 p.m. Dec. 27 at Orono, 7 p.m. Dec. 28 at Northfield, 2 p.m. Jan. 2 at Fargo Davies, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 4 at Warroad, 2:15 p.m. Jan. 7 vs. East Grand Forks, 7 p.m. Jan. 10 at Sauk Rapids-Rice, 7:15 p.m. Jan. 14 vs. Red Lakes Falls, 7 p.m. Jan. 16 vs. Brainerd, 7 p.m. Jan. 21 at West Fargo Sheyenne, 7 p.m. Jan. 24 vs. Northfield, 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at Alexandria, 7 p.m. Jan. 30 vs. Sartell, 7 p.m. Feb. 1 vs. St. Cloud Cathedral, 2 p.m. Feb. 4 vs. Bemidji, 7 p.m. Feb. 6 at Little Falls, 7 p.m. Feb. 8 vs. Hibbing, 2 p.m. Feb. 13 vs. Fergus Falls, 7 p.m.
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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Defending the run has been one of the Green Bay Packers’ weaknesses over the last several years. Not so much lately, though. Green Bay limited San Francisco to 16 carries for 44 yards in a 38-10 rout of the 49ers on Nov. 24, with two-time All-Pro Christian McCaffrey gaining 31 yards on 11 attempts. Four nights later, the Packers beat Miami 30-17 by holding the Dolphins to 39 yards on 14 carries. It was the first time since 1995 — and only the second time since 1950 — that the Packers had allowed fewer than 45 yards rushing in back-to-back games within the same season. “I think we’re playing harder and harder each week,” first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said. “And that’s how you play good defense.” That defense needs to be at its best Thursday as the Packers (9-3) close a stretch of three games in 12 days by visiting the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions (12-1), who have the NFL’s highest-scoring offense thanks in part to a rushing attack featuring the speedy Jahmyr Gibbs and the physical David Montgomery. “Gibbs is a great running back,” defensive lineman Kenny Clark said. “I really think the offense really starts with him, honestly. He can do everything — receive, in-and-out runner, can do stretch, duo plays. We’ve got to have all hands on deck with Gibbs. And then Montgomery, he’s a great complement to him. He can do everything, also.” The Lions were the first team since the 1975 Miami Dolphins to rush for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in each of their first 11 games. The streak ended on Thanksgiving when the Lions rushed for 194 yards but didn’t have a touchdown on the ground in a 23-20 victory over the Chicago Bears. Green Bay outrushed Detroit 138-124 in the Packers’ 24-14 loss to the Lions on Nov. 3 at Lambeau Field. Montgomery rushed for 73 yards while Gibbs ran for 65 yards and a touchdown. Gibbs has 973 yards this season, which ranks fourth in the NFL. Montgomery ran for a combined 192 yards and four touchdowns in the Lions’ two games against the Packers last season. Green Bay’s run defense has come a long way since. The Packers have allowed 106.6 yards rushing per game this season, which ranks eighth in the league. The Packers haven’t closed a season in the top 10 in run defense since 2016 and have finished outside the top 20 in four of the last six years, including 26th in 2022 and 28th in 2023. “I think Haf’s doing a good job of mixing up the fronts and some of the coverages, but really it’s ultimately about tackling, swarming, getting many hats to the football,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “And our guys have really embraced that style of play.” The Packers are yielding 4.2 yards per carry to rank seventh in the league after finishing 22nd or worst in that category each of the last three seasons. They haven’t closed a season ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed per carry since 2017. Hafley says the improvement starts up front. “The interior part of our D-line has done such a good job these last few games,” Hafley said. “They really have. They’re hard to block. They’re staying in their gaps. They’re tearing off of blocks, and it’s the same thing with those defensive ends. They’re setting edges, they’re forcing the ball back inside, they’re getting off blocks and then we’re tackling and we’re running to the ball and there’s multiple people to the ball. “And when you turn on our tape right now and when you freeze it, you see that. You see a lot of guys around the football. And then you’re not afraid, right? Like if I have an open-field tackle and I know eight other guys are coming, I’m going to take my shot because I know if I miss, it’s going to be, ‘Bang, bang, bang,’ we’ve got three or four other guys there, and we’re starting to play faster.” Green Bay's defense has the Lions’ attention. “They’ve been playing well,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. “I mean, they have, really, all season, and nothing has changed.” AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLYPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — On a damp Wednesday night with temperatures dipping into the 30s, fans in sparsely filled stands bundled up to watch Buffalo beat Eastern Michigan 37-30 on gray turf. The lopsided game was not particularly notable, but it was played on one of the nights the Mid-American Conference has made its own: A weeknight. “A lot of the general public thinks we play all of our games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, not just some of them in November,” MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a telephone interview this week. “What it has done is help take what was a pretty darned good regional conference and has given it a national brand and made it a national conference.” When the conference has played football games on ESPN or ESPN2 over the last two seasons, the linear television audience has been 10 times larger than when conference schools meet on Saturdays and get lost in the shuffle when viewers have many more choices. The most-watched MAC game over the last two years was earlier this month on a Wednesday night when Northern Illinois won at Western Michigan and there were 441,600 viewers, a total that doesn’t include streaming that isn’t captured by Nielsen company. During the same span, the linear TV audience has been no larger than 46,100 to watch two MAC teams play on Saturdays. “Having the whole nation watching on Tuesday and Wednesday night is a huge deal for the MAC,” Eastern Michigan tight end Jere Getzinger said. “Everybody wants to watch football so if you put it on TV on a Tuesday or Wednesday, people are going to watch.” ESPN has carried midweek MAC football games since the start of the century. ESPN and the conference signed a 13-year extension a decade ago that extends their relationship through at least the 2026-27 season. The conference has made the most of the opportunities, using MACtion as a tag on social media for more than a decade and it has become a catchy marketing term for the Group of Five football programs that usually operate under the radar in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and New York. Attendance does tend to go down with weeknight games, keeping some students out of stadiums because they have class or homework and leading to adults staying away home because they have to work the next morning. “The tradeoff is the national exposure,” Buffalo coach Pete Lembo said. “You know November nights midweek the average fan is going to park on the couch, have a bowl of chips and salsa out in front, and watch the game from there." When the Bulls beat Ball State 51-48 in an overtime thriller on a Tuesday night earlier this month, the announced attendance was 12,708 and that appeared to be generous. There were many empty seats after halftime. “You watch the games on TV, the stadiums all look like this,” Buffalo fan Jeff Wojcicki said. “They are not packed, but it’s the only game on, and you know where to find it.” Sleep and practice schedules take a hit as well, creating another wave of challenges for students to attend class and coaches to prepare without the usual rhythm of preparing all week to play on Saturday. “Last week when we played at Ohio in Athens, we had a 4-four bus ride home and got home at about 3:30 a.m.,” Eastern Michigan center Broderick Roman said. “We still had to go to class and that was tough, but it's part of what you commit to as an athlete.” That happens a lot in November when the MAC shifts its unique schedule. During the first two weeks of the month, the conference had 10 games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays exclusively. This week, there were five games on Tuesday and Wednesday while only one was left in the traditional Saturday slot with Ball State hosting Bowling Green. Next week, Toledo plays at Akron and Kent State visits Buffalo on Tuesday night before the MAC schedule wraps up with games next Friday and Saturday to determine which teams will meet in the conference title game on Dec. 7 in Detroit. In all, MAC teams will end up playing about 75% of their games on a Saturday and the rest on November weeknights. When the Eagles wrapped up practice earlier this week, two days before they played the Bulls, tight end Jere Getzinger provided some insight into the effects of the scheduling quirk. “It's Monday, but for us it's like a Thursday,” he said. Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler said he frankly has a hard time remembering what day it is when the schedule shift hits in November. “The entire week gets turned upside down,” Loeffler said. “It’s wild, but it’s great for the league because there’s two days a week this time of year that people around the country will watch MAC games.” AP freelance writer Jonah Bronstein contributed to this report. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
VISTA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 21, 2024-- Flux Power Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLUX ), a developer of advanced lithium-ion energy storage solutions for electrification of commercial and industrial equipment, today announced that its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ron Dutt, intends to retire from the Company. The Company’s Board of Directors is executing a comprehensive succession plan and search to identify the next CEO with the assistance of a nationally recognized search firm. Mr. Dutt will remain in his roles until the search for his successor is complete. Mr. Dutt commented, “It has been my honor to serve as Flux’s Chairman and CEO over the last 12 years, and I'm extremely proud of the team's many accomplishments. From our early days as a pre-revenue start-up and developing the market-penetrating “lithium-ion battery pack” for the high volume ‘walkie’ pallet jack, to becoming a thriving business and recognized provider of innovative energy solutions for the motive lift and ground support equipment markets, it has been a privilege to be a part of this company. I am grateful to the entire Flux team for what we were able to achieve together, and I look forward to supporting my successor through a successful transition.” “On behalf of the Board, management team, and employees, I want to thank Ron for his exceptional leadership and continued dedication to Flux Power,” said Director Michael Johnson. “Since joining as a Director at the company’s incorporation, I have seen Ron’s commitment to fostering a culture of mutual respect and integrity that has been foundational to the company’s success. His vision and dedication have been pivotal in the formation, development, and sustained growth of Flux Power. The Board of Directors and the entire Flux team appreciate his outstanding leadership and the lasting impact he has made on the organization. Looking ahead, we are committed to identifying the best candidate to continue our mission and build upon our strong foundation, and we look forward to working with Ron to ensure a smooth transition.” About Flux Power Holdings, Inc. Flux Power (NASDAQ: FLUX) designs, manufactures, and sells advanced lithium-ion energy storage solutions for electrification of a range of industrial and commercial sectors including material handling, airport ground support equipment (GSE), and stationary energy storage. Flux Power’s lithium-ion battery packs, including the proprietary battery management system (BMS) and telemetry, provide customers with a better performing, lower cost of ownership, and more environmentally friendly alternative, in many instances, to traditional lead acid and propane-based solutions. Lithium-ion battery packs reduce CO2 emissions and help improve sustainability and ESG metrics for fleets. For more information, please visit www.fluxpower.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and other securities law. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Words and phrases such as “anticipated,” “forward,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “may,” “intend,” “remain,” “potential,” “prepare,” “expected,” “believe,” “plan,” “seek,” “continue,” “estimate,” “and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the expected adjustments to the Company’s financial statements, including the estimated amount and impact of adjustments on the Company’s financial statements, expectations with respect to the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures and related remediation, the potential for additional adjustments to the Company’s financial statements and additional restatements, the Company’s ability to access its revolving credit facility, expected filing of its Form 10-K, and effect and impact on Company’s business and credit facility. All of such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the completion of the review and preparation of the Company’s financial statements and internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures and the timing thereof; the discovery of additional information resulting to additional adjustments; delays in the Company’s financial reporting, including as a result of unanticipated factors; the Company’s ability to obtain necessary waivers or amendments to its credit facility in the future; the risk that the Company may become subject to stockholder lawsuits or claims; the Company’s ability to remediate material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting; risks inherent in estimates or judgments relating to the Company’s critical accounting policies, or any of the Company’s estimates or projections, which may prove to be inaccurate; unanticipated factors in addition to the foregoing that may impact the Company’s financial and business projections and guidance and may cause the Company’s actual results and outcomes to materially differ from its estimates, projections and guidance; and those risks and uncertainties identified in the “Risk Factors” sections of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2023, and its other subsequent filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except to the extent required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made. Flux, Flux Power, and associated logos are trademarks of Flux Power Holdings, Inc. All other third-party brands, products, trademarks, or registered marks are the property of and used to identify the products or services of their respective owners. Follow us at: Blog: Flux Power Blog News Flux Power News Twitter: @FLUXpwr LinkedIn: Flux Power View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121700521/en/ CONTACT: Media & Investor Relations: media@fluxpower.com info@fluxpower.com External Investor Relations: Chris Tyson,Executive Vice President MZ Group - MZ North America 949-491-8235 FLUX@mzgroup.us www.mzgroup.us KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: OTHER ENERGY TECHNOLOGY BATTERIES ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ENERGY HARDWARE SOURCE: Flux Power Holdings, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/21/2024 04:01 PM/DISC: 11/21/2024 04:02 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121700521/en
Kyle Shanahan shares blunt truth about 49ers' playoff chances
Making a clean sweep in West Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday won all six Assembly seats in the by-elections. With this victory, the Mamata Banerjee-led party has further consolidated its position in the State Assembly. The bypolls were held in six constituencies — Sitai, Madarihat, Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur and Taldangra — on November 13 after the respective sitting MLAs, who had won the seats in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, resigned. In Sitai (north Bengal) and Haroa (south Bengal), TMC candidates clocked a victory margin of over one lakh votes. Continuing its winning streak of Lok Sabha poll victory, the TMC retained five Assembly seats and wrested Madarihat seat from the BJP, which had cemented its control in the constituency in the 2016 and 2021 Assembly elections. This time, the electoral contest was viewed as a litmus test for the TMC, which is facing protests over the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s State-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The body of the on-duty doctor was found inside the seminar room of the emergency building of the hospital on August 9. With the TMC cementing its dominance in West Bengal politics, Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister and party supremo, thanked voters on social media. “I would like to thank ‘Maa, Mati, Manush’. Your blessings will help us continue working for the people,” Banerjee posted. “We are custodians of the people, not zamindars ,” she said. Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s second-in-command, also took to social media to congratulate all six TMC candidates – Sangita Roy, Jayprakash Toppo, Sanat Dey, Rabiul Islam, Sujoy Hazra and Falguni Singhababu – for their victories against BJP candidates. “A special thanks to the people of Madarihat for giving us the opportunity to serve you for the first time. I bow before the people of West Bengal for democratically dismantling the Bangla Birodhis , their fake narratives and reaffirming their trust in us,” Abhishek said in a post on ‘X’. BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar downplayed the significance of the by-election results. “Bypoll results cannot serve as a reliable indicator. Whether the people are with the Trinamool Congress or not will be reflected in the upcoming Assembly elections,” said Majumdar, adding that his party is hopeful of winning the 2026 Assembly polls. Comments
A massive shift is underway across Australia’s sizzling property market, with the data throwing up 8 key real estate trends to watch in 2025. The Property Outlook Report 2025 has been released naming eight key areas to watch across 2025 in both residential and commercial property. Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee. Report co-author Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee said financial markets think the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will cut interest rates twice in the second half of the year. But, she said, that prediction could change depending on how inflation and the economy play out. “The most important is inflation. While it’s now back within the RBA’s target range, there are risks it could rise again. One big unknown is what happens in the United States. With Donald Trump winning the presidential election, this will boost government spending and put high taxes on Chinese goods. This could push up prices worldwide, including in Australia, making it harder for the RBA to cut rates.” Ray White Property Outlook Report 2025 says RBA will follow global rate cuts in 2025. $900k in a year: Qld’s price growth boom suburbs Qld cricket power couple’s multimillion dollar bounce back Ms Conisbee said the health of the economy would also be crucial for any rates movement in 2025. “If people start spending less in shops, house prices fall significantly, or unemployment begins to rise, the RBA might need to cut rates sooner than planned. They’ll be watching these signs closely throughout the year.” She said there will be rate cuts in 2025 but their timing and size will depend on how inflation behaves, what happens to the global economy and how the Aussie economy holds up across 2025. Ms Conisbee says there are signs that the Australian housing market is cooling into 2025, but the picture varied across the country with Perth, South-East Queensland and Adelaide still strong and Sydney and Melbourne slowing considerably and almost flat. “This pattern is likely to continue in early 2025, driven by several factors. More homeowners are feeling the strain of high mortgage payments, and we’re seeing an increase in property listings as some decide to sell. This higher supply of homes for sale could put downward pressure on prices in some areas.” But she said strong population growth, high building costs, and high expectation of rate cuts in 2025 should prevent any significant drop in house prices. Property prices were expected to be supported by continued strong population growth. Paved in gold: City’s richest streets revealed Unfixed fixer-upper’s crazy profit in just 4 months Strong population growth created “a natural floor for how far prices might fall”. “This is particularly true in Perth and Brisbane where growth remains very strong, but is also the case in Melbourne and Sydney where international migration will remain strong, although potentially at lower levels compared to 2024.” She said the cost of building new homes has not come down so there are fewer dwellings being built which pushes more buyers to existing homes that in turn supports high prices. “The outlook suggests a period of modest price growth or stability rather than significant falls. Markets that have already slowed, like Sydney and Melbourne, might stay flat until rate cuts begin. Meanwhile, cities with stronger economic conditions like Perth could continue to see some growth, though likely at a slower pace than in 2024. The key timing to watch will be when interest rates start to fall, as this could mark a turning point for price growth in the larger markets.” Ray White senior data analyst Atom Go Tian. Ray White senior data analyst Atom Go Tian expects shifts across Australia’s premium property markets that is the top 5 per cent of the market in each region. “The pecking order of Australia’s premium property markets is experiencing its most dramatic realignment in years,” he said. “with traditional hierarchies being challenged and new players climbing to the fore.” Luxury refers to houses in the top 5 per cent of the market. Sydney still has a major lead on other markets sitting above $4m across its top 5 per cent, despite having the slowest growth rate in years, but other areas like regional Queensland’s coastal markets have also surged. “The Gold Coast, with an impressive 50 per cent growth over five years, has finally achieved what many predicted: overtaking Melbourne as the second most expensive luxury market,” he said with its top 5 per cent of houses priced at $2.54m compared to Melbourne’s $2.51m. He said the Sunshine Coast looks to be following suit in by the end of 2025, having seen a 48.73 per cent five-year growth rate, with its top 5 per cent price now at $2.37m. Brisbane, Perth – both with the top 5pc over the $2m mark after 5-year growth of 55 and 53pc respectively were rising fast, as well as Adelaide which has its top 5 per cent above $1.8m off 5-year growth of 56pc. “Looking ahead, the market appears to be trending toward a new baseline, with all major cities except Darwin expected to reach or exceed the $2m mark for luxury properties.” Mr Tian said the property restructuring is seeing the creation of a “Golden Arc”, stretching from the Gold Coast to Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast which will emerge stronger in 2025 – all three having overtaken Melbourne in the last two years. “The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast have established themselves as Australia’s second and third most expensive housing markets, with remarkably similar geometric mean house prices of $1.18m and $1.14m respectively. Both regions have also witnessed an identical 76 per cent increase in prices over the past five years.” “Brisbane, while still more affordable at a geometric mean house price of $996,000, is also showing signs of joining its coastal counterparts to complete the Golden Arc. The city has the second-highest five-year growth rate of 83.5 per cent, trailing only Adelaide.” Sydney’s average house price rose to $1.59m in 2024, staying ahead of the pack, but other cities are chasing strongly. A mid market was now developing across Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide within a 17 per cent price range of each other, he said. “Five years ago, these markets were spread across an 80 per cent price range. This compression suggests that Perth and Adelaide may soon overtake Melbourne in terms of house prices, further contributing to the formation of a distinct mid-market cluster between $850,000 and $1m.” “In summary, we can expect several key developments. Perth and Adelaide may surpass Melbourne in price, reinforcing the shift in the mid-market cluster. The Golden Arc is likely to emerge with Brisbane joining the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast as premium markets. Finally, Sydney’s isolation at the top is expected to widen, further emphasising the “two-speed” nature of the market.” Mr Tian said the million-dollar club was set to rise significantly across regional Australia, having already gone from just two areas five years ago to 20 locations in 2024 – with four more on track to hit it in 2025 and a further seven serious contenders for seven-figure medians through the year. “The Sunshine Coast Hinterland, currently at $972,787, is projected to reach $1.05m, supported by an impressive 8 per cent average annual growth over the past decade,” he said. “Both Ormeau-Oxenford in the Gold Coast and Newcastle in regional New South Wales, currently hovering around $960,000, are expected to reach $1.03m, driven by consistent 7 per cent annual growth rates. Lake Macquarie-East completes this emerging group, with current house prices of $955,128 expected to rise to $1.02m in the coming year.” Four more areas in regional Australia will have $1m medians in 2025, with seven more on the verge of joining the club. The seven other areas that are serious contenders for strong price growth into the one million mark have current medians around the $850,000 to $910,000 level with decade-long growth rates around 5 to 8pc – including Augusta-Margaret River-Busselton in Western Australia’s Bunbury region which will be regional WA’s first in the elite club, and several other contenders across the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast as well regional NSW. Key features of these growth prospects are waterfront and oceanside locations, satellite cities or areas within commuting distance of major metropolitan centres, and lifestyle appeal. Ray White Group head of research Vanessa Rader. When it comes to commercial property, the retail sector is set to shine brightest in 2025, according to Ray White Group head of research Vanessa Rader, “a significant shift from recent years where industrial assets dominated”. She said retail assets had already led total returns for two consecutive quarters with a 2.8 per cent total gain in the latest results, making up 41.1 per cent of all commercial transaction numbers in late 2024 – a massive gain considering its long term average is 28 per cent. ”Despite ongoing discussion about the threat of online retail, physical stores have shown remarkable resilience. Online spending accounts for just 11.4 per cent of total retail transactions and has remained relatively stable over recent years.” The retail sector remains strong especially across metropolitan areas and despite the online threat. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sharon Smith Its strength was in metro markets, she said, with neighbourhood and subregional centres also showing resilience in the right retail mix, with food, supermarkets and services driving consumer spending. “Limited new supply against strong population growth has driven improved occupancy and rental performance in select markets. The retail landscape is also evolving, with entertainment offerings likely to emerge as a key component of successful centres, creating lifestyle destinations rather than pure shopping venues.” She said “investor attention is clearly pivoting towards retail assets. The sector’s ability to adapt and evolve, combining traditional brick-and-mortar retail with emerging entertainment offerings and online integration, positions it as the commercial property sector to watch in 2025.” Ms Rader sees a structural shift underway in the office market, “driven by evolving tenant demands and intensifying environmental, social and governance (ESG) pressures”. She said B-grade and lower quality assets would struggle without significant capital investment. “If future take up of space echoes results seen in the post pandemic era, vacancies for secondary assets across all Australian markets will reach 22 per cent (from current 15.9 per cent) in the next five years, even considering consistent withdrawal of stock.” “Prime markets however will continue to thrive, vacancies will move downward from the current 13.7 per cent to 5.4 per cent by late 2029, opening up potential for new development.” End-of-trip facilities are now par for the course to attract top tier tenants. She said significant capex was needed to bring older assets up to scratch, given tenant demands for end-of-trip facilities, sophisticated airconditioning systems and smart building technology. Lenders were also seeing this with a looming credit squeeze for the secondary sector set to force some owners to look at alternative uses, including conversion to residential or mixed use “where planning regulations permit”. “The secondary office sector faces a turning point. Buildings unable to meet rising environmental standards and tenant expectations risk becoming stranded assets. The market is likely to see an increase in opportunistic investors targeting these assets for conversion or redevelopment, particularly in locations where alternative uses can unlock greater value.” Ms Rader also expects a dynamic shift via private investors across commercial property in 2025, with “anticipated interest rate reductions expected to reignite transaction activity across all sectors”. “Private investors, armed with improved debt serviceability and renewed confidence, are likely to lead this resurgence. The expected easing of monetary policy should create a more favourable environment for leveraged buyers, potentially driving increased competition for quality assets as debt costs moderate.” Targets include metro retail assets underpinned by strong trade area demographics and essential service offerings. Service stations and retail centres will attract strong private investor interest in 2025. “Neighbourhood centres anchored by supermarkets, combined with healthcare services and daily needs retail, will likely remain highly sought after.” Across industrial assets, private investors were increasingly focusing on the smaller end of town such as industrial units and last-mile logistics facilities, particularly those with value-add potential, she said. “2025 could mark a turning point for the office sector as the market finally adjusts to hybrid working patterns.” “Childcare centres and service stations, delivering annual rental increases with long lease terms, remain highly sought after by yield-focused investors.” The ability to move quickly on opportunities would become increasingly valuable in 2025, she said, “as the market transitions to a more favourable lending environment”. FOLLOW SOPHIE FOSTER
