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<a target="_blank" href="https://Realestate.com.au">Realestate.com.au</a> continues to dominate the online real estate landscape with as many unique visitors and double the page impressions of the next nine biggest real estate websites added together, according to Google Ad Planner.
<a href="https://Realestate.com.au">Realestate.com.au</a> had 3.8 million unique visitors and 300 million page views for January.
This was followed by Domain, Real Estate View and Home Hound at the top of the list.
Real estate portal commentator and former CEO of <a target="_blank" href="https://realestate.com.au">realestate.com.au</a> Simon Baker says nothing has changed over the last 10 years.
“The funny thing is nothing has changed over the last decade.  Ten years ago <a target="_blank" href="https://realestate.com.au">realestate.com.au</a> was the most popular site – double the size of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.domain.com.au/">Domain</a>, followed by <a target="_blank" href="https://Property.com.au">Property.com.au</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/">Real Estate View </a>and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.homehound.com.au/">Home Hound</a>,” he writes.
“<a target="_blank" href="https://Property.com.au">Property.com.au</a> was purchased by <a target="_blank" href="https://realestate.com.au">realestate.com.au</a> (REA Group now) in 2003.”
Franchise group websites were not included on the list of portals but had they been included, LJ Hooker and Ray White would have made the top 10, with Raine &amp; Horne just missing out.
In 1999 IMR Worldwide published a list of the top 40 websites. <a target="_blank" href="https://Realestate.com.au">Realestate.com.au</a> was ranked as the 40th most popular website in Australia, with 67,000 page views a month.
Google Ad Planner is a web analytics tool that allows potential advertisers to research what are the biggest sites.
Facebook.com is the most visited website in Australia with 17 billion page views, according to Google estimates.
This is followed by Youtube.com and Live.com.
 
 
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Realestate.com.au miles ahead of online property portal rivals

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Sydney and Melbourne have each moved down one place on the Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, now ranked seventh and eighth respectively, just below Oslo and Paris.
The strong Australian dollar has kept the Australians high on the list, which is topped by Zurich, according to the The Economist Intelligence Unit Worldwide Cost of Living 2011 report.
“Local inflation in mature markets always has far less influence on the relative cost of living than the currency movements of the countries in question. This also explains the recent presence of Australian cities like Sydney and Melbourne in the 10 most expensive locations as last year saw the Australian dollar pass parity with the US dollar from holding half that value a decade ago,” the report said.
As the report measures things in US dollars and doesn’t take into account local salaries, the report is used to calculate the cost of living for expatriates rather than the cost for locals.
“[The report is used to] calculate cost-of-living allowances and build compensation packages for expatriates and business travellers.”
Just three years ago, Sydney and Melbourne were ranked 32nd and 38th respectively.
According to the report, the cost of a bag of rice has increased 25% in Sydney and 34% Melbourne since last year, while petrol increased 40% in both Sydney and Melbourne. Bread went down 35% in Melbourne and up 40% in Sydney.
The top end of the list has been increasingly populated by Asian cities.
“Singapore’s presence in the top 10 highlights a shift away from western Europe towards Asian hubs. Cities from the Asia Pacific region (including Australasia) now make up half the ten most expensive.”
“That said, western Europe still accounts for 24 of the most expensive cities in the top 50, with 14 hailing from Asia.”
Some traditional European hubs have weathered the eurozone crisis, with Frankfurt and Paris staying in the top 10.
Zurich surged four places to the top of the list due to currency investors moving away from the Euro and into the Swiss Franc, according to the report.
“Investors looking for a haven currency outside the beleaguered Eurozone have invested heavily in the Swiss Franc, prompting an unprecedented move by the Swiss government to peg the Swiss Franc to the Euro to keep the currency competitive.”
Karachi was rated the world’s cheapest city for expatriates, closely followed by Mumbai and Tehran.
India held three places in the ten cheapest cities, showing why it has been such a target of labour outsourcing the report says.
The presence of many Middle Eastern cities in the 10 cheapest was due to price controls and the pegging of currencies to the US dollar.
The presence of Asian cities at the bottom end of the list had a more structural basis, with cheap labour and land costs making India and Pakistan incredibly attractive to those bargain-hungry visitors or investors willing to brave some of the security risks that accompany such low prices, especially in Pakistan.
 
 
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Sydney and Melbourne in top eight most expensive cities in the world for travellers

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Australia maintained strong investor interest despite market sentiment in the Asia Pacific region deteriorating over quarter four 2011, according the latest report by CBRE.
The Asia Pacific ViewPoint report says offshore interest in Australia from Asia and Europe was steady through the quarter as competition from domestic groups including superannuation, funds, wholesale funds and unlisted property trusts grew.
In other Asia Pacific areas, market sentiment deteriorated due to increasing investor concern about the eurozone debt crisis and the uncertain global economic environment.
Despite this sentiment, investment volumes in the region rose during the quarter, bolstered by the completion of isolated larger deals and several related-party transactions.
Domestic Australian groups began to increase acquisitions as more substantial assets reached the market, particularly from the A-REIT sector.
Quarter four brought some large local deals including <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/western-australia/government-employee-super-fund-to-buy-half-of-perth-office-tower-qv1/2011082551284" target="_blank">Australian Reward Alliance’s $310 million purchase of a 50% stake in the landmark QV1 tower in Perth</a> from Dexus Property Group and Industry Superannuation Property Trust’s $200 million acquisition of a 25% share in <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/heritage-buildings-can-now-shoot-for-six-green-stars/2011082151231" target="_blank">161 Castlereagh Street</a>.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/cbrefeb16.gif"><img src="/images/stories/cbrefeb16thumb.gif"></a>
Australia remains attractive to offshore investors with high yields, a strong economic outlook and ease in making property deals, with one of the notable transactions being <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/commercial/offshore-investment-in-australian-commercial-property-at-20-year-high/2011122052916" target="_blank">the $84 million acquisition of 140 Sussex Street in Sydney</a>, according to senior managing director of international investments in Australia Rick Butler.
Most foreign investment came from Asia, predominantly driven by fund managers and Sovereign Wealth Funds in Singapore as well as cashed-up independent investors. The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/commercial/offshore-investment-in-australian-commercial-property-at-20-year-high/2011122052916" target="_blank">$185 million sale of the ASX building at 20 Bridge Street</a> in Sydney went to Kwap, a Malaysian pension fund.
Butler is confident about the future of offshore investment in Australia.
“Demand from offshore parties should remain firm in 2012 whilst domestic investors will continue to turn more active,” writes Butler.
“News in January that Charter Hall Office REIT, which owns properties valued at $1.84 billion, had agreed to sell all of its units to an international consortium of PSP and GIC could be a sign of things to come, with investors looking for opportunities to acquire assets from listed and unlisted groups suffering from financial stress.”
China was another country that had sizeable transactions and development deals. Korea and Malaysia also had confident domestic groups.
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Offshore investment in Australian commercial property remains strong in December quarter 2011: CBRE

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Despite growing demand from investors for distressed listed Australian commercial properties, supply is set to easily exceed demand during the first quarter of 2012, according to research by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
The report shows levels of distressed commercial properties on the market increased from quarter three to quarter four, the RICS Global Distressed Property Monitor found.
Globally, demand for distressed commercial properties increased as more distressed commercial properties entered the market.
The levels of increasing demand are unprecedented, according to the report, with 80% of the countries surveyed reporting increased investor interest.
“Indeed, in most cases the pace of rising demand picked up at a faster pace than previously seen,” writes RICS economist Matthew Edmond
“The rise in the number of countries reporting rising investor appetite for distressed assets may be viewed as an indication that prices in the market place are getting closer to offering value.”
Scandinavia, UAE, Italy, France and Japan led the push for increasing demand from investors, and only three counties surveyed reported decreasing demand.
Countries at the centre of the eurozone debt crisis are expected to have the fastest rising levels of distressed commercial property entering the market, with the Republic of Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy topping the list.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/distressl.gif"><img src="/images/stories/distressthumb.gif"></a>
“Given the ongoing and intensifying problems in Europe, it is little surprise that respondents in many of these countries are more pessimistic,” writes Edmond.
“The continuing debt crisis in the area is clearly adversely affecting sentiment, as property professionals in France and Germany also anticipate further rises in distressed selling.”
Ireland and southern European nations also top the list of countries where supply outstrips demand.
An expected fall in supply was reported by seven counties, two more than in the previous quarter, but the majority of respondents in Europe still expect supply to exceed demand.
 
 
 
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Supply of distressed commercial properties to outstrip demand: Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors

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The safety cordon around the 1960s office block at 447 Collins Street remains in place as owner Industry Superannuation Property Trust’s engineers undertake safety assessments and remove loose panels, and tenants in the building are yet to find out what they will receive for lost income.
The Godfrey &amp; Spowers-designed building was cordoned off last week after a two-metre-by-one-metre marble panel became dislodged and plummeted into the courtyard – a popular lunchspot for nearby office workers. No one was injured.
<img style="float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/collinsst3.jpg">
The panel, one of a reported 1,200 that coat the building, likely fell due to a combination of age and weather, according to a Melbourne City Council spokesperson.
“The panels are fixed to the building using a combination of mechanical fixings to support the load and an adhesive to keep the panel in position.”
“It appears that over time the adhesive has permitted sufficient movement so as to allow the panel to move beyond the safe limit of the mechanical support.”
ISPT chief executive Daryl Browning says the weather could have affected the adhesive.
“Just as windows can break, adhesions or fixings can be affected by weather, extreme weather. There could be some breakdown in the metal or the adhesive. It unfortunately does happen.”
“The reality is there are not that many failures. In my working career there have been a few buildings ... that have had facade issues.”
Since 2006 ISPT has had approval to build a Buchan Group-designed 11-storey office block and a two-storey restaurant on the site. The permit was extended in September and is due to expire in December 2015. However, the building was recommended for heritage protection in July 2011 by Melbourne City Council.
ISPT has contested the decision, arguing “the condition of the existing building means it is not feasible to retain the existing building in its current form”, according to a December Melbourne City Council document.
The inclusion in a heritage overlay would affect future approvals if the owners were to allow the current approval for plans to lapse.
There are currently no specific regulations requiring owners to periodically maintain facades, however ISPT did undertake inspections in 2011, according to the council spokesman.
“The owner had engaged a contractor to do some facade inspections late last year. The extent of these inspections is unclear, and it is understood that there was no cause for concern at that time.”
<img src="/images/stories/collinsst5.jpg">
The safety cordon extends approximately 30 metres from the north (Collins Street) side of the building; however on the western (William Street) side the cordon is only the width of the pavement, although the council says the panel fell several metres from the building.
<img src="/images/stories/collinsst4.jpg">
“The panel hit the balustrade on the level below and was then propelled away from the facade. It appears the main impact area was a few metres from the face of the building,” says the council spokesman.
<img style="float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/collinsst6.jpg">
“The areas that have been barricaded are similar to those that would be protected by a gantry if the building was under construction.”
The cordon has forced many ground-floor retail businesses to close. The owner of one business says the building’s owners have been unwilling to discuss compensation for lost business.
“We've been waiting for three or four days and we've still heard nothing. I think there’ll be a meeting [on Friday].” says one business owner.
“There will certainly be a discussion... They obviously have had to close and there’ll be income that they’ve forgone. And that will all be considered,” Browning says.
Managing agent Knight Frank was recently offering space for lease in the building but the lease sign at the front was taken down mid-week.
ISPT is one of the largest property funds in Australia, managing $7 billion of investments. In Melbourne it owns 500 Bourke Street, Casselden Place, 114 William Street, Melbourne GPO, 474 St Kilda Road and 50 Lonsdale Street.
ISPT bought 447 Collins Street for $81 million from AXA in November 2004.
On February 10 ISPT met with business owners , who say compensation matters have been discussed. The meeting was 11 days after the January 31 incident.
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Tenants yet to get compensation guidance after emergency closure of Collins Street office building

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Collins Street, Melbourne certainly  had impressive Christmas decorations, as the photo package by Alistair Walsh shows. 333 Collins Street did the CBD proud. We're not not sure about the Town Hall gift wrapping, though.
<img src="/images/stories/christmas5.jpg">
101 Collins Street
<img src="/images/stories/christmas2.jpg">
45 Collins Street
<img src="/images/stories/christmas3.jpg">
Melbourne Town Hall
<img src="/images/stories/christmas4.jpg">
333 Collins Street
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Melbourne's Collins Street dons decorations for Christmas cheer

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Rural property listing site Farmbuy.com is now selling rural properties from Elders Real Estate.
Farmbuy.com is Australia's largest dedicated rural property listing site, with more than 13,000 rural and lifestyle properties listed and more than 50,000 visits every month.
Elders started listing on December 1 and now has 1,500 to 2000 properties on the site. This represents about 60% of Elders’ properties, and this is expected to increase by the end of the month.
Elder is the biggest agency by sold value on the website. First National Networks lists the most properties, but these are mostly lifestyle properties under two hectares according to Farmbuy.com founder Philip Sondhu.
After starting up in 2009, the site has approximately 450 agencies advertising through the site. It generates revenue from monthly agent subscriptions and display advertising from companies looking to reach an Agribusiness audience.
Elders sold 8,338 properties for a combined total value of $3.23 billion in the 2010 financial year.
“We've been lucky to have had great support over the journey from Australia's major agents and have been pushing hard to feed our users more properties. Now with Elders, arguably Australia's largest rural agent network,  we give our user base more choice, more rural property and therefore assist them further in finding a rural property which suits their needs,” says Sondhu.
The website has also signed a preferred supplier agreement with the LJ Hooker franchise network.
Sondhu says this is a more difficult task considering the agency is entirely franchised.
“As of two weeks ago we’ve signed a deal with them… We’re expecting a whole bunch of them to come on the next month or two,” he says.
Sondhu is confident many bigger agencies will start listing.
“The next cab off the rank should be the Ray White network.”
The website launched nationwide in 2009 as the only dedicated rural property site. The first companies to list with them were First National Rural Company and Landmark Property.
“The agents really liked it. It addressed something realestate.com.au and domain.com.au weren’t doing.”
 
 
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Elders Real Estate signs deal with rural listing site Farmbuy.com

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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/december19tennyson]}
A Mediterranean-style beach mansion with a private observatory is up for sale in Tennyson, the Adelaide beachside suburb.
The 1990-built house has unobstructed views over Gulf St Vincent, with the house backing directly onto sand dunes with a sandy footpath to the water.
It has five bedrooms, seven bathrooms to wash the seawater off, and a variety of entertaining rooms across its three stories. The observation tower has 360-degree views over the surroundings.
Lynette McMahon from Phil McMahon Real Estate is the agent for the house, which sits on a 972-square-metre block of land. McMahon is looking to sell for $2.9 million plus to $3,190,000. McMahon bills the house as being “reminiscent of the beachside mansions of California”.
It lasted traded at $2.3 million in 2005.
The most recent beachfront sales on Tennyson Heights Court have been $2.1 million in December 2010 and a $1.65 million sale in March 2011.
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Mediterranean beachfront mansion in Tennyson on the market

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The Queensland hotel market is due to recover after recent poor performance, particularly in sites like the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, according to the latest report by CBRE.
Queensland’s hotel market should grow 5.2% from 2012 to 2016, outperforming any other state and the 3.3% national average, according to the report.
“Queensland is still in the midst of a difficult economic period which commenced with the GFC. This has continued to the present day due to ongoing problems in the construction and tourism industries as well as the damage caused by the floods and cyclones at the beginning of 2011,” the report finds.
“Further forwards, however, forecast growth rates are strong.
“Capital expenditure is the major contributor to this growth outlook, with many resource related projects providing strong prospects for the state. “
The report also cites the announcement of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Queensland as a catalyst for growth.
Queensland has suffered a slump in room rates this year, which is not expected to recover until 2012.
“Floods and cyclones have impacted heavily, as did the recent grounding of the Qantas fleet. These one-off events came on top of a consistently high Aussie dollar, which has resulted in less international visitors and a propensity of Australians to take advantage of greater purchasing power and head overseas for their holidays,” says the report.
International tourist arrivals are forecast to increase 8.6% in 2012, then 7.8% in 2013 and 7.6% in 2014. Most international arrivals stayed level from 2001 except for Japan, which fell from more than 450,000 in 2004 to 200,000 in 2011.
The report finds most purchasers for major hotel assets in 2012 are likely to be private investors, foreign interests (especially Asian based) and operators seeking to grow the number of rooms/apartments under management.
“A litmus test for the accommodation market is likely to be the upcoming listing of the Commonwealth Property Fund Hotel portfolio with assets in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne,” says senior associate director of global research and consulting at CBRE Craig Godber.
“The listing will provide a good indication of both the true depth of the investment market as well as pricing.”
 
 
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Queensland hotel market set for recovery in 2012 after bad year: CBRE

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Victorian property buyers will have just 30 days to pay stamp duty from April next year as the state government slashes the payment deadline, which is traditionally 90 days from the date of transaction.
The Duties Act 2000 (Vic) amendment comes into effect on April 1 next year.
“Purchasers of property will now need to take account of the implications of the new stamping requirements when considering their finance requests,” says TressCox lawyer Dan Flynn.
“The reduced time for payment means that it will no longer be possible to hold funds for up to three months, allowing investment of funds, or use of it for other purposes, during the period before payment is made.”
Flynn recommends parties involved in dutiable transactions adopt practices that enable them to comply with the reduced time period to avoid penalties.
The act also ensures the same level of stamp duty benefits for concession card holders and pensioners are available to purchasers of existing homes, off-the-plan purchasers and owner-builders.
The base point for calculating the concession for off-the-plan sales to pensioners and concession card holders is now defined as the aggregate of the value of the land and the cost of construction, rather than the dutiable value of the property.
 
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Victorian home buyers to pay off stamp duty in just 30 days from April

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

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;

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.”

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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.

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Alistair Walsh

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