<html><body>
There was a patchy result for auction tipping competition Property Tycoon auctions this week, as three out of five properties sold in both Melbourne and Sydney.
For those who want to have a harmless punt, there's now a tipping website, <a href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au/" target="_blank">www.propertytycoon.com.au</a>, where punters can guess auction five results in Melbourne and Sydney, with no outlay. It's mostly about testing your market knowledge with a small cash prize as a sweetener.
The result at 64 Rosedale Road, Glen Iris (pictured below), shows the inner-eastern Melbourne market is well supported, as three bidders contested the auction.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/rosedale.jpg">
After being quoted at $1 million to $1.1 million by James Redfern at Marshall White, the property was announced on the market at $1.15 million before selling under the hammer for $1,226,000. This price was almost $100,000 more than the average tip.
It was a different story for 56 Bland Street, Ashfield (pictured below), in Sydney’s inner west, where it sold for $100,000 below the average tip.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/bland.jpg">
Agent Tony Andreacchio from Raine and Horne was spot on when he quoted 56 Bland Street, Ashfield, at $1.35 million to $1.45 million, as the property sold on Saturday for $1.42 million.
</body></html>

cknowlton-QnEa6ntUYP

Patchy result for property auction tipping competition

<html><body>
Another day, another report on our growing housing supply crisis.

Today the COAG Reform Council, headed by Paul McClintock, released its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.coagreformcouncil.gov.au/reports/housing.cfm">third annual report</a> on performance against COAG's 2009 National Affordable Housing Agreement, covering 2010-11.

The report's conclusions are disheartening. It finds that rental affordability got worse between 2007 and 2010: more than 40% of low-income households are now in "rental stress" (defined as rent higher than 30% of gross household income), up from 37% in 2007. Some 60% of people in the lowest 10% of incomes face rental stress, up from just under 50%. And the problem is worst in NSW, which has been identified in other reports by the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2011/12/22/national-housing-supply-council-report/">National Housing Supply Council</a> and from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2012/06/22/census-reveals-the-consequences-of-a-national-housing-myopia/">the census</a> as the worst state for housing supply.

The Reform Council's report also concluded that housing had become less affordable through the period, though primarily as a consequence of interest rate rises. The problem was particularly acute in capital cities, and Queensland was the worst state for affordable housing for low-income earners. But the overall level of mortgage stress for low income households remained the same over the period.

The report also concluded that the gap between the level of housing supply and demand had more than doubled to nearly 187,000 since 2008. The numbers are a little more conservative than the most recent National Housing Supply Council <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nhsc.org.au/content/publications/housing_supply_affordability/exec_summary">update</a>, which revised its estimates of the dwelling gap to 200,000 in 2010. Both reports agree, however, the NSW was the worst state, with a dwelling gap of about 73,000-74,000, but Queensland was getting worse.

The COAG report is separate from the process initiated in April 2010 -- Kevin Rudd's last COAG meeting -- where COAG agreed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.coag.gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/2010-04-19/docs/Communique_20_April_2010.pdf">"a housing supply and affordability reform agenda"</a> with a tight timeframe for a comprehensive series of reports and reviews examining housing supply and government policies that acted as impediments to the delivery of more housing stock. All of the activity associated with the agenda was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2010, except for one project that was given until mid-2011.

Since then the agenda has disappeared without trace, as if it was all a figment of Rudd's imagination. According to the National Housing Supply Council, from the time COAG announced the agenda to the end of 2011, the dwelling gap blew out by another 28,000 to 228,000.

The COAG report noted that it was having difficulty reporting on the relevant partnerships between state and Commonwealth governments that contribute to the housing agreement, because it "cannot link the activity reported to the outcomes and objectives in the National Agreement. Reports on national partnerships generally provide information on activity without evidence of the effect the activity has on outcomes ... We cannot clearly mark progress against commitments or analyse them comparatively."

That is, the states are good at saying what they're doing but not so good at saying whether they're meeting outcomes or making progress in a way that enables the council to compare across states.

We're thus left with only a limited number of indicators, and chiefly that ever-growing dwelling gap, to illustrate government failure.

As the history of the COAG housing agenda shows, this was briefly a priority for federal Labor, but the Gillard government appears to have lost interest in it. Low-income earners across Australia will continue to suffer the consequences.
This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/" target="_blank">Crikey</a>.
</body></html>

Housing affordability fell between 2006 and 2010: COAG

<html><body>
A new business model for wine is turning customers into angel investors, encouraging them to invest in a $1.5 million trust fund designed to help independent winemakers crack the market.
Naked Wines, which launches in Australia on July 1, was founded in the United Kingdom in 2008 by Rowan Gormley, former chief executive of Virgin Wines and Virgin Money.
Over the next year, Naked Wines will invest $1.5 million in Australian vineyards. The company aims to help fund up to 20 independent winemakers looking for their big break.
Consumers with a penchant for wine are encouraged to invest in these winemakers as “angels”, and, in return, enjoy discounts of up to 50% on premium wines.
Angels pay a monthly subscription towards Naked Wines, which goes towards improving the service, but are able to redeem their monthly fee for a reduced rate on any purchases.
By doing this, Naked Wines says it “counters the creative stifling that the extreme consolidation at the retail end of market has generated”.
Angels also have the opportunity to meet the winemakers.
“[I have] witnessed the growth and dominance of the big supermarket chains, their increase in private label brands and the boom in discount distressed stock suppliers,” Naked Wines Australia managing director Luke Jecks says.
“I knew winemakers were getting fewer opportunities and customers were getting fewer choices. The Australian wine industry needed a rapid change.”
“I turned to my good friend and entrepreneur, Rowan Gormley, who was already successfully leading the way with change and success in the UK, and fell in love with the Naked Wines model.”
“I’m so excited to be bringing it to Australia to ensure our talented winemakers are not left behind, and Australian consumers can connect with the real stars of the industry.”
Naked Wines aims to directly connect the consumer with the winemaker, thus “stripping out all the fluff”, such as marketing.
The website allows customers to interact directly with one another and with the winemakers.
Customers are encouraged to build a profile, make friends, upload content, and integrate their ratings with their Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Naked Wines also has an iPhone app with videos, tasting notes, shareable deals, and the ability to chat to the winemaker about the wine they are drinking.
Naked Wines Australia already has several projects on the go, including:
<ul>
<li>Sam Plunkett, a winemaker from the Strathbogie Ranges in Victoria, who set up his own label after his wine was named best shiraz in Australia in 2010.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Husband-and-wife team Rebecca and Adrian Santolin, who met while working in the wine industry and created their own label, Boy Meets Girl.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Former Craggy Range winemaker Rod Easthope, who wants to produce an exclusive range of wines under his own name at scale.</li>
</ul>
This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.startupsmart.com.au/" target="_blank">StartupSmart</a>.
</body></html>

Naked wines group gives customers the chance to invest in vineyards

<html><body>
Mirvac threw in in an extra $10,000 sweetener to attract first-home buyers to some of its offerings before the Victorian government’s first-home bonus expires tomorrow, June 30.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/tce1.jpg">
The latest release of homes in the master-planned <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/land/near-90-of-lots-sold-in-first-release-of-wantirna-south-project-harcrest/2012050154454">Harcrest</a> and Waverley Park developments, called Terrace Homes, come with a $10,000 Visa cash card.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/tce3.jpg">
The homes launched in early June, and about 30% are sold so far. Until tomorrow, first-home buyers who buy a property under $600,000 <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/time-running-out-for-first-home-bonuses-and-stamp-duty-concessions/2012052854863" target="_blank">will be entitled to a $13,000 bonus from the Victorian governmnent. </a>From this Sunday, first-home buyers will be entitled to a 20% reduction in stamp duty on homes under $600,000. For a home costing $600,000, this equates to a stamp duty savings of $6,214, less than half what a first-home buyer would secure from the first-home bonus.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/tce5.jpg">
The three-bedroom Terrace Homes start from $505,000 and are aimed at the first-home buyer market.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/tce4.jpg">
“We understand many young couples and families are struggling to buy their first home, juggling things like rising utility bills, school fees and food costs. With the first-home owner grant coming to an end on 30 June, the Terrace Homes offer Mirvac’s signature quality finishes at an affordable price point, meaning more families are now able to buy their own home,” says Matthew Wallace, Mirvac CEO of masterplanned communities.
Harcrest is in the outer-Melbourne suburb of Wantirna South, about 30 kilometres east of Melbourne CBD, and Waverley Park is in the south-eastern Melbourne suburb of Mulgrave, about 25 kilometres from the CBD.
</body></html>

Mirvac’s latest Victorian releases target first-home buyers with $10,000 sweetener in June

<html><body>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/sydney-shangri-la-hotel-sells-to-hong-kong-shangri-la-asia-group-for-record-%24352-million/2012062555249" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2012/06/352m.gif"></a>
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/sydney-shangri-la-hotel-sells-to-hong-kong-shangri-la-asia-group-for-record-%24352-million/2012062555249" target="_blank">record-setting price Hong Kong-listed Shangri-La Asia has paid for Sydney’s Shangri-La Hotel in The Rocks</a>. Asian buyers have accounted for 93% of all hotel sales this year.
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/western-australia/the-square-kilometre-array-will-bring-international-attention-%E2%80%93-and-property-investment-%E2%80%93-to-geraldton-wa-terry-ryder/2012062755296"><img src="/images/stories/2012/06/5point2b.jpg"></a>
The<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/western-australia/the-square-kilometre-array-will-bring-international-attention-%E2%80%93-and-property-investment-%E2%80%93-to-geraldton-wa-terry-ryder/2012062755296"> amount of money being invested in the Square Kilometre Array in Geraldton, WA</a>. The multibillion-dollar telescope project is "an international project involving 20 nations, and a site just outside Geraldton in Western Australia will provide the core of the development. This makes Geraldton a city of international importance and adds to its appeal as a place worthy of consideration by property investors," says hotspotting.com.au's Terry Ryder.
 
<hr>
 
 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/2day-fm-s-jackie-o-buys-family-home-in-vaucluse-with-five-bedrooms/2012062255231"><img src="/images/stories/2012/06/2point7m.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/2day-fm-s-jackie-o-buys-family-home-in-vaucluse-with-five-bedrooms/2012062255231">approximate price Jackie O</a>, the top-rating 2Day FM breakfast announcer, and her farmer husband, Lee Henderson, paid for their family home in Vaucluse, in Sydney's posh eastern suburbs last month. It’s a cosy five-bedroom 1920s abode. 
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/industry-news/the-oldest-real-estate-agencies-in-australia-as-ray-white-%E2%80%93-by-no-means-the-oldest-%E2%80%93-marks-110-years/2012062555079" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2012/06/1839n.gif"></a>
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/industry-news/the-oldest-real-estate-agencies-in-australia-as-ray-white-%E2%80%93-by-no-means-the-oldest-%E2%80%93-marks-110-years/2012062555079" target="_blank">year that Elders Real Estate,</a> which claims the title of the oldest real estate agency in Australia, was founded.
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/melbourne-not-yet-becoming-manhattan-with-percentage-of-apartments-falling-abs-census-2011/2012062555253"><img src="/images/stories/2012/06/15point3percent.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/melbourne-not-yet-becoming-manhattan-with-percentage-of-apartments-falling-abs-census-2011/2012062555253">percentage of Melbourne dwellings that are apartments</a>, according to the results of the 2011 census. This is down from 16.1% in 2006, discounting the perception that Melbourne is turning into a mini-Manhattan given the high-rise apartment projects in Docklands.
 
<hr>
 
 
 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/rural/almost-three-quarters-of-family-farms-don-t-make-enough-to-support-the-family/2012062655279"><img src="/images/stories/2012/06/72percent.gif"></a>
The<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/rural/almost-three-quarters-of-family-farms-don-t-make-enough-to-support-the-family/2012062655279"> percentage of family farms that don't make enough money to support the family</a>. More than one-third of all family farms relied on adults living on the farm to earn wages elsewhere, reinforcing the stereotype that many farm wives have to work as local doctors, hairdressers and teachers for their families to survive.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/nine-years-after-the-tv-cameras-turned-off-bondis-original-block-units-hit-the-rental-market-with-hardly-a-credit/2012062755303"><img src="/images/stories/2012/06/720.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/nine-years-after-the-tv-cameras-turned-off-bondis-original-block-units-hit-the-rental-market-with-hardly-a-credit/2012062755303">asking rent for the winner of the 2003 inaugural series of The Block, in Bondi.</a> This is adjusted slightly downwards from its initial $750 asking rental. It's seemingly been rented.
</body></html>

The 7 must-know numbers of the week, starting with the record-setting price paid for Sydney's Shangri-La Hotel

<html><body>
16/187 Cleveland Street, Redfern, NSW, 2016
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/cleveland.jpg">
Within walking distance of Central Station and Sydney CBD, this recently renovated two-bedroom apartment is currently tenanted at $550 per week, and the tenant is on an expired lease. Listing agent Braden Walters from True Property says the unit could reasonably be expected to fetch $570 a week in rent. The property is also within walking distance of Surry Hills, UTS and the University of Sydney. 
Walters <a target="_blank" href="https://www.trueproperty.com.au/411887/">is marketing the property</a> with price hopes of $500,000 plus, and if it sells for that price that would secure an investor a gross rental yield of 5.7% at its current rent, above the indicative gross rental yield for Redfern units of 4.8%, according to RP Data. At $570 per week it would secure an investor a gross rental yield of $5.9%. The gross rental yield does not consider the costs of maintaining the property, including council rates and other fees such as water bills and managing agent fees.
<a href="https://calc.washingtonbrown.com.au/wbdcalculator/calculator.aspx?RID=HPCAZOPTTT" target="_blank">Washington Brown</a> estimates the first-year tax depreciation deduction to be $13,000 and over five years to be $43,000.
The median unit price in Redfern rose 1.1% in the past year and 31.9% in the past five years, according to RP Data.
The property will go to auction on Saturday, June 30 at 1pm.
For more information about prices and yields in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Redfern, see the RP Data suburb page.</a>
For another investment prospect open for inspection this weekend, see page 2.
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
3/18 The Crescent, Highett, VIC, 3190
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/thecrescent.jpg">
This three-bedroom house in Highett has a long-term tenant paying $400 a week who would be keen to stay on. The property includes a standalone garage and is at the end of a quiet crescent.
Listing agent Christian Hegarty of Buxton <a href="https://www.ljhooker.com.au/F87GQH" target="_blank">is marketing the property </a>with price hopes of $420,000 plus, and if it sells for $420,000 that would secure an investor a gross rental yield of 5%, above the indicative gross rental yield of 3.3% for Highett houses, according to RP Data. The gross rental yield does not consider the costs of maintaining the property, including council rates and other fees such as water bills and managing agent fees.
The median house price in Highett  fell 6.7% in the past year, according to RP Data.
<a href="https://calc.washingtonbrown.com.au/wbdcalculator/calculator.aspx?RID=HPCAZOPTTT" target="_blank">Washington Brown</a> estimates the first-year tax depreciation deduction to be $11,000 and over five years to be $39,000.
The property will be open for inspection Saturday, June 30 at 12.3opm and will go to auction Saturday, July 14 at 1.30pm.
For more about prices and yields in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Highett, see the RP Data suburb page.</a>
</body></html>

Friday form guide: Yields of up to 5.9% in Redfern

<html><body>
With the auction of The Block 2012 South Melbourne terraces coming up on Saturday and all of the rooms now revealed, Property Observer inspects each of the four terraces for comparison.
We also take a look at the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/inside-the-block-2012-%E2%80%93-the-kitchens-and-dining-rooms/2012062555265" target="_blank">kitchens and dining rooms inside each The Block 2012 property.</a>
Sophie and Dale's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kayburton.com.au/property/401-dorcas-street-south-melbourne">401 Dorcas Street</a>
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed401.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4012.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4013.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bath401.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bath4012.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/line.gif">
Mike and Andrew's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hstheblock.com.au/">403 Dorcas Street</a>
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed403.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4032.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4034.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4035.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4036.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4037.jpg">
 
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
Brad and Lara's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.buxton.com.au/cgi-bin/show_item.pl?Type=Property&amp;OID=4020713">405 Dorcas Street</a>
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed405.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4052.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4054.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4055.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/line.gif">
Dani and Dan's<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rtedgar.com.au/?pagecall=property&amp;propertyID=2067340"> 407 Dorcas Street</a>
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed407.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4072.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/bed4073.jpg">
{module Block bedrooms}
{module Block 2012 winner}
</body></html>

Inside The Block 2012 – the bedrooms and bathrooms

<html><body>
With the auction of The Block 2012 South Melbourne terraces coming up on Saturday and all of the rooms now revealed, Property Observer inspects each of the four terraces for comparison.
We have also looked at the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/inside-the-block-2012-%E2%80%93-the-kitchens-and-dining-rooms/2012062555265" target="_blank">kitchens and dining rooms inside each property.</a>
Sophie and Dale's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kayburton.com.au/property/401-dorcas-street-south-melbourne">401 Dorcas Street</a>
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out401.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out4012.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out4013.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out4014.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out4015.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/line.gif">
Mike and Andrew's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hstheblock.com.au/">403 Dorcas Street</a>
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out403.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out4032.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/line.gif">
Brad and Lara's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.buxton.com.au/cgi-bin/show_item.pl?Type=Property&amp;OID=4020713">405 Dorcas Street</a>
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out405.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out4052.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out4053.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out4054.jpg">
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/line.gif">
Dani and Dan's<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rtedgar.com.au/?pagecall=property&amp;propertyID=2067340"> 407 Dorcas Street</a>
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out407.jpg">
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/06/out4072.jpg">
{module Block 2012 winner}
</body></html>

Inside The Block 2012 – the exteriors and top floors

<html><body>
Retail rents could fall by as much as 15% amid weak sales and store closures, according to Morgan Stanley, but an industry expert says retail sales are still growing at a modest pace. 
According to an article in The Australian Financial Review, Morgan Stanley analysts noted rents are dropping in a number of malls and for a number of retailers. 
But according to the Australian Retail Research and Forecast Report, produced by Colliers International, the first half of 2012 “has been a continuation of what we saw in 2011”. 
“The most recent retail trade figures released by the ABS reflect anecdotal evidence from retailers that conditions remain tough,” Colliers research director Nora Farren said in the report. 
“A number of high-profile retailer collapses and potential store closures were reported during the first half of 2012, but the number is actually lower than for the same period in 2011.” 
“The failure of Sleep City, WOW Audio Visual Superstores, Game and Retravision Southern are amongst those to occur during the past six months.” 
“While these will have a short-term effect on shopping centre occupancy levels, the fundamentals in high quality centres remain sound.” 
According to Farren, retailers will continue to open stores in order to grow profits, with tenant demand for good quality centres expected to exceed availability. 
“While sales growth has slowed across the portfolios of the major retail landlords, the bulk still report being able to increase rents on review,” she said. 
Strong regional shopping centres and supermarket-based assets have continued to perform better than small- to medium-sized malls with a focus on discretionary retail, the research found. 
Well-located neighbourhood centres that are not dependent on discretionary spending are expected to be well placed for growth in 2012. 
On a state by state basis, the mining states continue to outperform the rest of Australia with regard to retail spending, with WA now accounting for 11.9% of total retail turnover. 
“Within the non-mining states, New South Wales and South Australia bucked the trend… Annual growth for both states is running at 2.1%,” Farren says. 
“In Tasmania, retail sales fell 0.6% [in April], matching the Australian Capital Territory’s 0.6% fall during the month.”
This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.startupsmart.com.au/" target="_blank">StartupSmart</a>.
</body></html>

Retail rents could fall by 15% across Australia due to store closures and poor sales: Morgan Stanley

<html><body>
There are only three days left for NSW property investors or non-first-home buyers to take advantage of the NSW government’s stamp duty exemption for new homes, and developer Tripod Property Group has rushed its new Zetland development Link to market, hoping to generate a few sales before the June 30 deadline.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/link1.jpg">
The south-Sydney Turner + Associates-designed development launched over the weekend. Three contracts were exchanged over the weekend, and marketing agency Colliers says there was a lot of interest.
The development is planned to include 31 one-bedroom apartments (18 with studies) with an average size of between 61 and 65 square metres, which will start from $490,000. The five two-bedroom apartments, with an average size of 90 square metres, start from $681,000, and the 36 two-bedroom apartments with studies start from $686,000 and average about 95 square metres.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/link3.jpg">
Buyers who want to take advantage of the NSW government’s home builder bonus, which applies to new properties under $600,000 for both owner-occupiers and investors and exempts buyers from stamp duty, have until July 1 before the scheme expires. First-home buyers would probably be wise to wait until October to purchase if they are willing to risk missing out on their first choice of apartments, but upgraders and investors could miss out on a stamp duty savings of up to $22,490 if they don't purchase by July 1.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/link2.jpg">
The 11,366-square-metre site will comprise 72 apartments across two buildings and will include 2,000 square metres of landscape gardens.
“This will be planted on top of a colonnade of shops, retail services and dining options,” says Dan Szwaj from Turner + Associates.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/link4.jpg">
The buildings are designed with splayed walls, articulated blades and vertical fins to create a sense of movement. Bold colours are used throughout internal and external spaces.
Every apartment comes with a car space, and strata fees are expected to be low, around $800 for one-bedrooms and $1,000 for two-bedrooms per quarter.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/06/link5.jpg">
The median unit price in Zetland, less than five kilometres from Sydney CBD, is $561,000, according to RP Data, and the median price fell 3.3% last year.
“Over the past decade Zetland has becoming increasingly popular as a residential address, particularly for young highly skilled knowledge workers who are attracted by the cafe lifestyle of Danks Street,” said Ian Bennett of Colliers International.
“Fortunately Link is located outside the high-density Green Square urban renewal zone, so residents will be able to take advantage of all the facilities at Green Square yet still enjoy space, privacy and peace.”
</body></html>

Zetland development Link launches, with June 30 NSW property investor deadline days away 

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

<main data-perf-region="main">
Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

<h3 data-end="3697" data-section-id="q3n5ak" data-start="3672">&nbsp;</h3>
</main>

Cassidy Knowlton

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News