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Television’s architecture darling Kevin McCloud is doing the interview circuit here in Australia to promote his upcoming appearance at Melbourne’s Grand Designs Live running this weekend (September 21-23), but he hasn’t tweeted since April 19.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/Kevin_McCloud/status/193246510379573248" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/mccloudtweet.jpg"></a>
He had been active over late 2010 and 2011 but somewhere along the interest his interest in the social media platform waned.
He joined in October 2010, “partly under duress”, as someone was impersonating him.
Grand Designs Live is billed as a “home show like no other”. The expo is running in Sydney and Melbourne, but McCloud will only be appearing in Melbourne.
The live show has been running an active Twitter account with a strong emphasis on Kevin McCloud.
<a href="https://twitter.com/GDLive_Aus" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/grandtweet.jpg"></a>
He will be speaking alongside Peter Maddison, an Australian architect, who will be hosting the Australian remake of McCloud’s popular home-building television show Grand Designs.
Staff at North Melbourne cafe Twenty&amp;Six Espresso were gushing when McCloud visited their establishment.
<a href="https://twitter.com/TwentyandSix" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/twentysixtweet.jpg"></a>
Peter Maddison hasn’t tweeted since June  having run his account primarily to spruik the local TV show. He tweeted 48 times between October 2010 and June this year.
<a href="https://twitter.com/P_Maddison_GDA" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/madisontweet.jpg"></a>
 
The Lifestyle Channel has been posting sneak peak previews for its upcoming October season of Grand Designs, which will include <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3I9fIGIMl4&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;noredirect=1" target="_blank">Mansfield</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HQALjVSQCs&amp;noredirect=1" target="_blank">Balnarring</a>.
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awalsh-7Ub9EypybQ

Kevin McCloud and the world of Twitter: Tweet of the day

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If investors want to buy a home in Adelaide for under $300,000 they have two main options, according to Herron Todd White.
They can buy a three-bedroom house 25 kilometres from the city or a two-bedroom unit five kilometres from the city, according to the September month in review report.
“For $300,000 you could purchase an older three-bedroom dwelling of around 100 square metres on around 700 square metres of land or a newer three-bedroom dwelling that is possibly a little larger on a smaller lot of around 300 square metres located within the outer northern or southern suburbs,” the report says.
“These suburbs would include Morphett Vale, AldingaBeach, and Seaford Rise in the south and in the north the suburbs of Elizabeth and Salisbury and surrounding areas.”
The report highlights <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.thehomepage.com.au/property/residential/7-rochester-drive-salisbury-heights/502338">a three-bedroom home in Salisbury Heights</a> (pictured below), which recently sold for $299,000.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/rochester.jpg" width="470">
The sale is very close to entry-level price into the Adelaide market, according to the report, with detached dwellings at between $250,000 to $300,000.
The report does warn that buying in the outer suburbs of Adelaide means a possible risk of compromising capital growth as well as a potential for rising vacancy rates.
“Often built from the 1960s to 1980s many of these homes are now dated and would respond well to upgrading allowing for the potential of value-add in the future.”
For units, $300,000 will buy a two-bedroom unit within five kilometres of the CBD or in beachside suburbs including Glenelg and Henley Beach, with a significant proportion of these being older-style units built in the 1970s and 1980s.
The report highlights a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-sa-marleston-110106501">two-bedroom Marleston unit</a> (pictured below) that recently traded for $292,000.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/barnes.jpg" width="470">
The entry price for units in the Adelaide market is around $200,000 or even slightly less, according to the report.
“It is worth noting that at this very low end of the market the price of the dwelling is directly reflective of its quality and location. This price point (and slightly higher) in the Adelaide property market is the realm of first home buyer and investor.”
The report is upbeat about the Adelaide housing market, although it is somewhat flat.
“The Adelaide property market in the short term continues to be flat and limited growth is expected in the next 24 months.”
“Both of these property types are currently yielding around 4% to 5% gross.
“Relative to other investment prospects such as shares or long term saving accounts we think that property still remains a viable long-term investment.”
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Buying for under $300,000 in Adelaide will require a compromise on space or locality: HTW

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Buying a house in the cheapest suburb within 20 kilometres of the CBD will still cost at least $420,000 in Sydney, Darwin and Canberra, according to an RP Data report.
Granville, south of Parramatta, is the cheapest suburb within 20 kilometres of Sydney’s CBD, with a median house price of $445,424.
In Canberra, the cheapest suburb within 20 kilometres is Richardson, in the south, with a median house price of $452,540.
In Darwin, the cheapest suburb is Moulden in the south-west, with a median house price at $423,007.
Prices are significantly lower within 20 kilometres of the other capital cities, with Melbourne’s Dallas, in the north, at $288,702; Brisbane’s Gailes, in the south-west, at $239,700; Adelaide’s Salisbury North, in the north, at $229,601; Perth’s Maddington, in the south-east, at $298,297; and Hobart’s Bridgewater, in the north-west, at $174,464.
RP Data’s Cameron Kusher says unlike the unit market, house prices do tend drop in price the further out from the city buyers look.
“The most highly sought after areas of the city tend to be those which are close to the city centre as well as the most expensive in which to purchase a home,” Kusher says.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/afford2.gif">
Source: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.myrp.com.au/">RP Data</a>
Within five kilometres of the CBD, buying a house costs more than $500,000 across every capital city except Adelaide and Hobart.
Within five kilometres of the CBD, the cheapest suburb in Sydney is Waterloo, with a median house price of $607,518. This is followed by Melbourne’s Flemington at $599,785, Canberra’s Downer at $579,932, Brisbane’s Morningside at $533,066, Darwin itself at $508,292, Perth’s Carlisle at $506,339, Adelaide’s Renown Park at $387,573, and Hobart’s Warrane at $231,267.
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No suburbs with house prices under $420,000 within 20 kilometres of Sydney, Canberra and Darwin: RP Data

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Forget chic Bondi Minimalism, Australia’s most extravagantly gaudy home has been discovered, given it's been listed for sale.
With peacocks, mermaids, statues and chandeliers aplenty, one Bondi chiropractor turned a late 1800s four-bedroom home into a real-life house of almost hallucinatory showiness.
And it can be bought in one line!
Over the past 35 years, vendor Kevin Du Val has pumped more than $1 million of trinketry, tack, pomp and artifacts into this cabinet of curiosities.
The former saddlery, butcher's shop and grocery store now includes a 270-year-old chandelier, various taxidermies, painted leadlight windows and an impressive collection of assorted gaudy antiques.
In the courtyard, a statue of Poseidon looms over a heated spa, which is festooned with crude ocean scenes.
Inside the pink and purple lounge room, a cast iron spiral staircase leads up to a cosy attic bedroom dominated by what looks like a fox fur-covered bed.
Du Val has been using the home as a part residence, part studio for his osteopathy, iridology (diagnosing ailments from the shape and colour of a person's eyes) and chiropractor business.
The ostentatiously ornamented property is being listed for sale by Troy Deviesseux from Ray White Wentworth Point.
“You’d be hard pressed to find another property like this,” Deviesseux says.
He is looking to sell the property for upwards of $2.5 million, not including the furnishings.
“That doesn’t include the furnishings and the various artworks which give the property its character.”
“The first preference would be for it to sell as one package, which would be worth in the high $3 million.
He insists the property has had strong interest for its October 12 auction.
“The interest comes from collectors mainly. People who have an art collection and people who are just looking for something a little bit different.”
Du Val has set the 205-square-metre property up as a three-bedroom house, with the fourth used as his practice.
Pressed metal front doors lead into a formal entry. Downstairs is a formal lounge with a mahogany bar, a formal dining room and an eat-in kitchen.
Upstairs are three bedrooms, a TV rooms and a main bathroom. There is an upstairs terrace that looks down onto the courtyard.
There are four open fireplaces spread throughout the property.
The sale includes parking for up to three vehicles.
Du Val says he created the home around his artworks.
The decision to sell had been a difficult one, Du Val told News Limited
"It's fairly emotional, probably more so than I'm letting on. But sometimes you just need a change and it's just time. They say the two most difficult things you can go through in life are selling a home and getting divorced, and this is like both."
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Australia’s most extravagantly gaudy home for sale

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The south-west Sydney suburbs of Cecil Hills and Casula were the two Sydney suburbs with the biggest median house price rises over the first half of 2012, according to Australian Property Monitors.
Median house prices in the south-west region of Sydney rose 4.5% over the first half of 2012.
It was the strongest-performing region in Sydney. All suburban Sydney regions recorded median house price growth, with the exception of the northern beaches, where prices fell 2.2%.
Sydney suburban areas were the strongest-performing areas in the country over the first six months of 2012, according to APM senior economist Dr Andrew Wilson.
Results for house listings in Cecil Hills are dominated by off-the-plan houses in Mirvac’s master-planned Elizabeth Hills development.
The 56-hectare development will eventually include 650 sites over the next two to three years.
The development consists of land from $315,000 to $430,000, and three- and four-bedroom homes from $460,000 to $590,000 respectively.
There have been 196 lots released since November 2011, of which 129 had sold by August 1.
The next stage of 10 detached homes was released on September 15.
Agent Mark Nejasmic from United Realty West Hoxton has worked in the area for the last 10 years and says inquiry levels have been very high over the past year.
“To say you live in that area is quite a good thing. It’s a lovely little pocket. And there’s a shortage of stock there. Anything that goes on the market gets good enquiry, and they get over market value.”
Nesjamic is selling <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-cecil+hills-110905763" target="_blank">42 Athlone Street</a>, a four-bedroom house on 519 square metres.
“The property is quite indicative of the area certainly.”
“That particular property we’ve just got a new buyer for. People doorknocked and offered more than the asking price.
“The property was valued at $550,00 to $580,000 and yet we’ve achieved more than $600,000, with  three or four buyers interested.”
He says the area is attracting a mix of younger families and older couples.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
Raine &amp; Horne Cabramatta agent Van Nguyen says prices have risen in the last three months.
“There was a six-month period where things were quiet and it really picked up in July, August and now September. I’d agree with rises of 4% to 5%."
Nguyen is selling a four-bedroom house for $569,000.
In Casula, LJ Hooker agent Alen Toma says prices haven’t actually changed much at all over the last 12 months.
“I’ve seen a bit of activity in Casula, with more buyers in the area not a shift in prices.”
“I feel prices have been steady for the last 12 months.”
There are a number of developments coming in around Casula, which Toma says hasn’t affected prices much at all.
Toma is selling <a target="_blank" href="https://casula.ljhooker.com.au/4RJGRH">50 Roth Street </a>at auction with an expected price of $450,000 to $480,000.
He says the property is a very typical house in the area.
Toma says most people buying in the area are young families and first-home buyers.
He predicts prices will stay steady in the next year, with a possible uptick in buyer inquiry in line with Spring.
Agent David Farrugia from Macquarie Real Estate Casula agrees that prices haven’t changed much.
“If anything they’ve come down. We haven’t really seen an increase in prices in the higher bracket at all.
“The increase is probably in the lower bracket of Casula. Anything under the $400,000 mark – townhouses or villas or older-style homes.”
“A lot of first time home buyers are getting into the market before the grant finishes. I think people might be paying more than market value just to get in before the grant ends.”
“But anything over $500,000 and you’re struggling.”
He says he’s surprised more investors aren’t buying in the area considering the high rents.
“The yields are quite high. Although a lot of people have quite high incomes, a lot of them can’t afford to get a deposit together.”
“There’s basically a vacancy rate of zero as banks are getting tighter with their lending.”
Farrugia is selling <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-casula-111404543" target="_blank">16 Plum Close</a> for $619,000. The price has been revised down from $639,950.
He says the home is one of the nicer ones in the area and is not necessarily indicative of the average property in Casula.
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Sydney's Cecil Hills and Casula top price growth in last six months: APM

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Grand final day is one of the biggest days in Melbourne’s calendar.  Statistically, one in 40 Melburnians will be in attendance at the MCG, with many more glued to screens around the city’s pubs and homes.
Bounce is at 2.30pm, Saturday September 29, with celebrations and commiserations continuing all through the night.
So how many vendors are game enough to risk their luck trying to sell a house on that one day in September? Apparently just 33, according to Australian Property Monitors.
The weekend before there are about 700 auctions scheduled, according to APM, and 500 on the following weekend.
Last year there were 50 auctions on grand final day and 50 the year before.
It's not an interruption in Sydney given the NRL grand final is at 5pm on Sunday, September 30, although school holidays has a lightening impact in both major capital cities.
Anthony Orellana from YPA Estate Agents Taylors Lakes is taking a four-bedroom Sydenham house to auction at 12.30pm on the day.
He says he’s not worried about losing interest to the big game.
“If you have something that people want they’ll come regardless,” Orellana says.
“How many times do you buy a house throughout your lifetime? It doesn’t happen that often.
“I’m not worried about missing the game. Carlton isn’t playing anyway.”
He hopes to sell the property for $320,000 to $350,000. He says he has four registered bidders who will be there on the day.
Property Observer has tracked down 29 of the auction listings:
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-vermont-111442015">14 McDonough Lane, Vermont, Vic 3133</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-glen+waverley-111469283">25 Cappella Court, Glen Waverley, Vic 3150</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-fitzroy+north-111477839">2 Percy Street, Fitzroy North, Vic 3068</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-essendon+north-111499339">1/36 Prince Street, Essendon North, Vic 3041</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://propertyobserver.com.au/administratorhttp:/www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-northcote-111499407">50 Brooke Street, Northcote, Vic 3070</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-malvern+east-111467779">1/42 Webster Street, Malvern East, Vic 3145</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-armadale-111488335">11 Mount Pleasant Grove, Armadale, Vic 3143</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-rowville-111390015">2 Shearer Drive, Rowville, Vic 3178</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-oakleigh+east-111431195">85 Clayton Road, Oakleigh East, Vic 3166</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-oak+park-111440351">232 Waterloo Road, Oak Park, Vic 3046</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-reservoir-111468871">91 Barry Street, Reservoir, Vic 3073</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-lilydale-111492527">2/10 Deschamps Street, Lilydale, Vic 3140</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-vic-oakleigh+south-111390595">2/7 Dalgan Street, Oakleigh South, Vic 3167</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-kensington-111416827">18/1 Gatehouse Drive, Kensington, Vic 3031</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-hughesdale-111481915">23 Paget Street, Hughesdale, Vic 3166</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-blackburn+south-111492543">12 Holroyd Court, Blackburn South, Vic 3130</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-box+hill-111582287">13 Bass Street, Box Hill, Vic 3128</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-brunswick+east-111474835">202B Edward Street, Brunswick East, Vic 3057</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-mitcham-111487255">U1/8 Coppin Close, Mitcham, Vic 3132</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-clayton-111531659">5/1438 Centre Road, Clayton, Vic 3168</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-sunshine+north-110301917">100 Phoenix Street, Sunshine North, Vic 3020</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-burnside+heights-111414943">4 Albert Court, Burnside Heights, Vic 3023</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-springvale+south-111354183">4 Woodstock Place, Springvale South, Vic 3172</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-mount+waverley-111491775">118 Huntingdale Road, Mount Waverley, Vic 3149</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-meadow+heights-111421027">2 Eucalyptus Place, Meadow Heights, Vic 3048</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-sydenham-111418859">41 Bungarim Wynd, Sydenham, Vic 3037</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-vic-hadfield-111460511">1/27 Larlac Street, Hadfield, Vic 3046</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-broadmeadows-111419063">106 Cuthbert Street, Broadmeadows, Vic 3047</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-caroline+springs-111392743">5 Osterley Close, Caroline Springs, Vic 3023</a>
The REIV’s Robert Larocca says there aren’t many auctions compared with other weekends, and they’re almost all in the morning.
"It is traditional that there is a low number of auctions on grand final day.
"Those that do have an auction always ensure it’s before the ball is bounced,” Larocca says.
"Overall it has no impact on the state of the market as everyone just avoids the afternoon for auctions, and those that are interested in one in the morning make the effort to turn up."
Melbourne's weekend clearance rate was 60% from the 619 auction results reported to the RIEV over the September 15 and 16 weekend. It was 57.5% in Sydney, according to APM.
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AFL grand final day auction avoidance, with few vendors willing to risk missing the bounce

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Unit prices in Logan, Queensland, have dropped 15% over the last quarter despite a yearly rise of 10.9%, according the Real Estate Institute of Queensland.
The quarterly price drop was the biggest drop for any area in Queensland, according to REIQ statistics, though the yearly gain was the highest as well.
Local agents say the price fluctuations are due in part to developments in the area, but prices are down.
Agent John Ahern from John Ahern Real Estate Slacks Creek says prices have dropped by about 15%, but he says this drop has been over the last 12 months or more, rather than the last quarter.
“The peak of the market was in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and then prices started trending slightly downwards during 2010, and by 2011 and 2012 prices tended to drop a little further,” Ahern says.
“They’ve dropped about 15% from their peak over the last 18 months or so.”
He says the 11% rise in prices is likely due to new developments in the area.
“The trouble with statistics is you take a bunch of sales prices and unless you dig deep you don’t really know if there were some new developments in the area, which can bump up the median.”
“You might have brand-new two- and three-bedroom upmarket apartments which are being sold to interstate investors and possibly overseas, and that can move the average up. An established property in the area has not gone up in the last four years. It’s gone down.”
There have been a number of new developments coming to market recently.
Ahern says prices have likely bottomed out and are due to bounce back.
“It’s a mixture of people buying. We are getting investors coming back in because the prices have dipped. Some investors sold over the last few years, and we’re seeing an influx back into the market because the returns are so good.”
“You can rent around the $250, $260 mark and they’re being sold from $155,000 to $165,000 in that bracket."
He says there has a slight rush in buyers hoping to cash in on the first home owners' grant before new changes roll in.
Ahern recently sold <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-logan+central-111031379">unit 27 at 279 KIngston Road, Logan Central</a> for close to $155,000 in a mortgagee possession sale.
REIQ chief Anton Kardash says winter is traditionally a low point in sales.
“We do know that the winter quarter is in fact historically the quitest time of year and there are a lot of variables that affect confidence,” Kardash says.
The REIQ notes the figures were more influenced by an increase in lower-price unit sales rather than any drop in values.
Agent Marian Grimsey from Professionals Logan Lifestyles Browns Plains and Marsden says prices are desperately down from two years ago.
“I just sold a block for $169,000 which originally went for $230,000.”
“I feel sorry for these people, the owners. It’s better for them to sell than to end up having the bank take it and them not getting anything.”
Grimsey says tighter lending conditions are pushing first home buyers into the unit market.
“They’re having to take another look at what they can borrow.”
Grimsey is selling <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-loganlea-111551515">unit 8 at 46 Monash Road</a>, Loganlea for $289,000.
The median price for units and townhouses in Logan is currently at $262,500, according to RP Data.
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Unit prices in Logan drop most over quarter in Queensland: REIQ

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Eco Trendee Homes, the developer of a recently purchased Bribie Island site, has lodged development plans with Moreton Bay Council.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/bribie2.jpg">
Ty Wardner, the Sunshine Coast-based developer, recently<a href="https://www.realtor.com.au/cgi-bin/vgmsg/vgqld/propview.p"> </a>paid about $4 million in a receivership sale for the 42-hectare block of land on Bribie Island, 50 kilometres north of Brisbane.
The subdivision site was bought with preliminary development approval for 544 lots.
The $100 million plans, which date back to 2007, include 10 proposed stages of traditional housing lots, medium-density and retirement developments.
<img style="margin: 5px; float: left;" width="300" src="/images/stories/2012/09/bribie.png">
The existing approval for the development will lapse in 2013.
The Eco Trendee plans were drafted by urban planners and architects The Helibronn Group.
The site, at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-qld-bongaree-200165486">69 Coolgarra Avenue in Bongaree</a>, attracted formal offers from nine groups when offered through a public tender campaign by Ray White Special Project Queensland directors Mark Creevey and Tony Williams.
Williams says there was strong interest from developers before its sale earlier this year.
"There is definite demand for developers looking for good sites to acquire.
"Broadly across south-east Queensland there’s a limited quantum of sites a reasonable distance from Brisbane with a capacity and size like this. There are a handful in hands of larger developers."
"It varies from asset to asset, but by and large with a stereotypical site with advanced planning you’ll get good interest," Williams says.
It was sold under instructions of McGrathNicol, the receivers and managers of Dux Property Group.
Williams says the land is close to the surf beach and golf courses.
“The area is well serviced with amenities, with the Bribie Island Shopping Centre containing Woolworths and 30 specialty shops.
The proposed development includes a 7.65-hectare lake as a central water feature.
The 148-square-kilometre island is the most northern of the three major islands forming the coastline sheltering Moreton Bay and is the only island linked to the mainland by bridge.
In 2009 Dux Property Group took exception to the government’s 2004 valuation of the site at $17.35 million and took the Department of Natural Resources and Water to the Land Court of Queensland.
By  June 2012 the site was valued at $8 million.
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Eco Trendee Homes lodges development plans for Bribie Island block

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Hotspot, a Campbellfield brothel and strip club, has been for listed for sale with hopes of up to $3 million.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/09/brothel.jpg">
The vendor, Donna Murdoch, is selling the property because licensing laws prevent madams from operating more than one brothel.
Murdoch, the madam of the Main Course in North Melbourne, had previously tried to sell the property in 2007, around the time the law was passed limiting brothel ownership.
Agent John Castran from John H Castran Pty Ltd says Murdoch was unmotivated to sell back then with hopes the laws would be changed.
It has been sitting idle for the last 18 months as the laws were enforced.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/09/brothel3.jpg">
Despite sitting idle, the property has been extensively renovated in that time.
“If you and I went down there now and flicked the lights on you would not believe it,” Castran says.
“You couldn’t spend money renovating it if you tried.
“It’s absolutely bloody unbelievable.”
The new renovated property is being sold fully furnished and comes with all required liquor and sex licences.
It is being marketed as a three-way investment, comprising the brothel, strip club and bar operations.
“It’s a three in one. A one-stop shop,” says Castran.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/09/brothel2.jpg">
They have been operated as separate businesses, allowing it to be one of the few brothels in Melbourne with a drinking venue.
The brothel is located upstairs and has six bedrooms, three with spas. With ground-floor entry, the brothel has a foyer, office and reception waiting area.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/09/brothel5.jpg">
The ground floor of the venue has a fully fitted bar lounge, which is licensed for explicit entertainment, a sports bar, kitchen, office and outdoor beer garden. The lounge bar has several load-bearing poles.
Close to the Hume Highway, it comes with secure fencing and 24 carparks.
Castran has been marketing the property towards potential owner-operators, saying very few brothels are actually rented premises.
“I’ve learnt a lot about the industry.”
“I haven’t made a call about the rent. These days basically all brothels are owner-operators. They used to be landlord and operator deal, but that’s rare now.”
He says there has been significant interest in the property.
The liquor licence allows a maximum of 300 people from 11am to 6am on Sunday to Thursday and from 11am to 7am on Friday and Saturday.
“It’s got a pretty amazing liquor licence.  You just can’t get them anymore.”
“They’re hard to get now. There’s more shutting down than being opened.”
The 1,178-square-metre property goes to auction on September 28 at noon, and it sounds like an auction not to miss.
“We’ve got some dancing girls coming in for the auction.”
“It’ll definitely be open for inspection, so to speak.”
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Campbellfield, Melbourne, brothel listed for auction with $3 million hopes

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An iconic 1910 Newtown, Geelong, warehouse has sold for more than $950,000 after auction.
The property– set close to Corio Bay – passed in at $950,000 and later sold for “significantly more”. The price guide leading into the auction was mid-$900,000 to $1.05 million. It was listed by Robert Creece and Tony Young from Robert Creece Real Estate  Manifold Heights.
The Edwardian building was originally built for Collins Bros Pty Ltd Woollen Manufacturers with a second-level Early Modernist extension added in 1934.
The Latrobe Boulevard building has been under renovation for the last five years. One renovation project was finished the day before it went to auction. Parts of the property remain to be renovated.
The heritage-listed building is considered historically significant as a representative embodiment of industrial practice and the woollen processing industry in Newtown before the Second World War.
Heritage documents describe the building as “a two-storey symmetrical red brick industrial building with later two-storey additions”.
“The three-bay front is divided by flat piers, becoming semi-octagonal section over window-head height on foliate corbels.”
The leadlight windows are Art Nouveau influenced, and there is an “unusual” nine-panel door and knocker.
The manganese brown brick first floor is adorned with a massive sans serif sign in a recessed panel.
At the left of the property is an Edwardian timber veranda with an arched palisade valence and a picket fence at one side.
A 1946 obituary of Basil N. M. Collins, a member of the firm of Collins Bros Pty. Ltd, says he was a former player and president of the Geelong Football Club. He was also a Grand Lodge officer of the Masonic Lodge.
The renovation has yielded 570 square metres of internal space. The building sits on a 945-square-metre block of land.
The lower level is currently set up as an office or showroom or retail area that leads through to a open space, which is marketed as ideal for an art gallery or cafe or conference room.
That room opens through to a private paved courtyard and the rear yard.
The upstairs portion of the property is currently set up as a residential area with two bedrooms, an open plan living and dining room, kitchen and bathroom.
The former power room has undergone partial renovation towards a two level apartment.
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Geelong 1910 woollen warehouse sells for more than $950,000

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

Alistair Walsh

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