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There's now a website, <a style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au/" target="_blank">www.propertytycoon.com.au</a>, where Melburnians can guess auction results, with no outlay. It's mostly about testing your market knowledge with a small cash prize as a sweetener.
Melbourne's auction market will continue to build leading up to Christmas now we have passed the Melbourne Cup weekend, with 595 properties due to go under the hammer this weekend. But regardless of how many auctions there are it is very rare to find a property similar to 30 Elwood Street, Brighton on any weekend throughout the year.
The property sits on almost 1/4 of an acre and has been very tightly held over the years, last being sold about 20 years ago. Determining the value of this calibre of property can often be very difficult. Property valuation is determined by the recent sale results of similar properties in the area. The problem is with such unique property there are no comparable sales to use as a guide. 
On the day of auction if two buyers have fallen in love with the property the desire to secure it can result in a sale price that is out of kilter with the rest of the market. However, uncertainty in global markets could mean that the traditional buyer for this property is too nervous to make a move. 
The result of 30 Elwood Street Brighton will be a very good test for the top end of the Melbourne property market.
<img src="/images/stories/elwoodst.jpg">
Agent: Kay &amp; Burton agent Mark Bury
Quote: $2.5 million to $2.75 million
Last sold: May 1992
Price: $620,000
Suburb median: $1,768,500
Five-year median growth: 10.16%
If you think you know what it will sell for place a tip at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au/">Property Tycoon</a>.
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cknowlton-QnEa6ntUYP

Weekend auction tipping

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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/house-prices-fall-slightly-in-best-result-in-seven-months-rp-data-rismark/2011103052126" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/0point2percent.jpg"></a>
The amount <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/house-prices-fall-slightly-in-best-result-in-seven-months-rp-data-rismark/2011103052126" target="_blank">house prices fell nationwide in September</a>, according to the latest RP Data-Rismark Hedonic Home Value Index. This was the smallest decline in seven months. “Housing market conditions are starting to show some green shoots now," RP Data research director Tim Lawless says. 
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/19point8.jpg"></a>
The percentage of <a target="_blank" href="/news">new borrowers who chose fixed-rate mortgages in the month of October</a>, according to Mortgage Choice. This was up from 17% in September and significantly higher than the 12-month average of 13.5%.
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/rate-cut-will-help-the-economy-and-boost-confidence-say-quick-draw-industry-players/2011110152155" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/025.jpg"></a>
The amount by which the Reserve Bank cut interest rates on Melbourne Cup Day. Industry experts were quick to comment that the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/rate-cut-will-help-the-economy-and-boost-confidence-say-quick-draw-industry-players/2011110152155" target="_blank">cut would be good for the economy and housing market</a>.
 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/4m.jpg">
The approximate price hopes for the former Pittwater home of Australian actor Chips Rafferty. It is set on a 2,538-square-metre block at Lovett Bay north of Sydney and includes Raffety’s display wall – complete with beer bottles, some bearing the date 1952.
 
<hr>
<a href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/9percent.jpg"></a>
The <a href="/news">amount house prices in Hobart are down compared with their peak</a>, according to RP Data. “It’s not attracting lifestyle buyers or prospective retirees. There are no tree changers coming to Hobart. The market has been dependent on them in the past,” says RP Data research director Tim Lawless.
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_self" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/residential-building-conditions-still-soft-hia/2011110252178"><img src="/images/stories/14percent.jpg"></a>
The amount by which <a target="_self" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/residential-building-conditions-still-soft-hia/2011110252178">building approvals were down in September</a>, according to the ABS. But HIA acting chief economist Andrew Harvey says approvals rose by 0.7% in the month of September in the core detached housing segment of the market.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/domenic-alveros-smallest-house-in-surry-hills-rises-to-win-international-prize/2011110352199"><img src="/images/stories/42sqm.jpg"></a>
 
The size of the block that <a target="_self" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/domenic-alveros-smallest-house-in-surry-hills-rises-to-win-international-prize/2011110352199">Small House, Surry Hills' smallest residence</a>, is built upon. The house, which belongs to Sydney architect Domenic Alvaro, has been awarded the World House of the Year at the prestigious 2011 World Architectural Festival award ceremony in Barcelona.
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The 7 must-know numbers of the week

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A Prahran property going to auction this weekend will test the market for solid family homes, says Mark Armstrong of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au/">Property Tycoon</a>.
"24 Alfred St Prahran is a property that in theory should be in strong demand. It is in a great location, has a strong facade and is in comfortable living condition with scope to improve it," Armstrong says.
But with auction clearances in Melbourne under 60% for many months, this property will be a test of the market. 
"Traditionally this type of property is highly sought after by investors and early home buyers, who have both been thin on the ground in 2011. The result for 24 Alfred St Prahran will be a good test to see how well this sector of the market is holding up," Armstrong says.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.domain.com.au/Property/For-Sale/House/VIC/Prahran/?adid=2009324136">24 Alfred Street, Prahran, VIC, 3181</a>
<img src="/images/stories/alfredst.jpg">
Agent: Bennison MacKinnon agent Nathan Waterson
Quote: $780,000 to $850,000
Last Sold: May 2005
Price: $551,000
Suburb median: $950,000
Five-year median growth: 10.9%
If you think you know what it will sell for place a tip at <a href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au/" target="_blank">Property Tycoon</a>.
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<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="360"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="124" nowrap valign="bottom">
Suburb
</td>
<td width="97" valign="bottom">
Postcode
</td>
<td width="139" nowrap valign="bottom">
Median house price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">NEWSTEAD</a>
</td>
<td width="97" valign="bottom">
4006
</td>
<td width="139" nowrap valign="bottom">
$1,225,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">NEW FARM</a>
</td>
<td width="97" valign="bottom">
4005
</td>
<td width="139" nowrap valign="bottom">
$1,219,795
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">SPRING HILL</a>
</td>
<td width="97" valign="bottom">
4000
</td>
<td width="139" nowrap valign="bottom">
$822,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">PADDINGTON</a>
</td>
<td width="97" valign="bottom">
4064
</td>
<td width="139" nowrap valign="bottom">
$810,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">SOUTH BRISBANE</a>
</td>
<td width="97" valign="bottom">
4101
</td>
<td width="139" nowrap valign="bottom">
$785,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">HIGHGATE HILL</a>
</td>
<td width="97" valign="bottom">
4101
</td>
<td width="139" nowrap valign="bottom">
$775,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a target="_blank" href="/news">KANGAROO POINT</a>
</td>
<td width="97" valign="bottom">
4169
</td>
<td width="139" nowrap valign="bottom">
$750,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a href="/news">WEST END</a>
</td>
<td width="97" valign="bottom">
4101
</td>
<td width="139" nowrap valign="bottom">
$710,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a href="/news">HERSTON</a>
</td>
<td width="97" valign="bottom">
4006
</td>
<td width="139" nowrap valign="bottom">
$707,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="124" nowrap valign="bottom">
<a href="/news">MILTON</a>
</td>
<td width="97" valign="bottom">
4064
</td>
<td width="139" nowrap valign="bottom">
$667,500
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source: RP Data
 
 
 
 
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Top 10 most expensive Brisbane suburbs for houses

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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/unhappily-perhaps-banks-pass-on-full-rate-cuts/2011121152772" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/25bps.gif"></a>
The amount of the RBA's most recent rate cut, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/unhappily-perhaps-banks-pass-on-full-rate-cuts/2011121152772" target="_blank">which all four big banks and most second-tier lenders passed on in full to borrowers</a>. However, in statements the banks hinted that they would not be so generous in future, emphasising the economic uncertainty in Europe. 
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/ebay-buyer-of-us%2418000-washington-property-liable-for-us%241.2-million-in-tax-liens/2011121152781" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/1point2mill.gif"></a>  
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/ebay-buyer-of-us%2418000-washington-property-liable-for-us%241.2-million-in-tax-liens/2011121152781" target="_blank">The amount in tax liens the buyer of a $18,000 Washington DC property owes to the federal and state governments in the US</a>. The new owner, whose identity is not yet available, will possibly soon realise he or she is also responsible for paying the unpaid US$1.2 million in federal and state tax liens.
 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/50point5.gif"> 
Sydney's auction clearance rate the weekend of December 10, one of the lowest auction clearance rates of the year. Melbourne's clearance rate improved slightly, though, from 53% the previous weekend to 55%.
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/auctions/fitzroy-north-house-where-helen-garner-wrote-70s-novel-monkey-grip-sells-in-suburb-s-third-residential-sale-above-%243-million/2011121252791"><img src="/images/stories/3point185.gif"></a>
The<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/auctions/fitzroy-north-house-where-helen-garner-wrote-70s-novel-monkey-grip-sells-in-suburb-s-third-residential-sale-above-%243-million/2011121252791"> sale price achieved for the Fitzroy North house where Helen Garner wrote seminal 1970s novel Monkey Grip</a>. It ranks as the suburb's third residential sale above $3 million.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/mandurah-residents-among-those-with-most-housing-stress-in-perth/2011121252812"><img src="/images/stories/17percent.gif"></a>
 
The percentage of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/mandurah-residents-among-those-with-most-housing-stress-in-perth/2011121252812">inner-city Perth residents who are in housing stress</a>, according to lobby group Australians for Affordable Housing. It is experiencing the second highest rate of housing stress of all Perth municipalities, according to a new report by lobbying group Australians for Affordable Housing.
 
<hr>
 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/new-house-starts-decline-for-seventh-straight-quarter-abs/2011121352817" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/7numb.gif"></a>
The number of consecutive quarters that the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/new-house-starts-decline-for-seventh-straight-quarter-abs/2011121352817" target="_blank">number of new housing starts across Australia has declined</a>, according to ABS figures.
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/home-and-away-actress-holly-brisley-lists-in-bondi-beach/2011121352830" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/7mplus.gif"></a>
 
The price hopes for Home and Away actress<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/home-and-away-actress-holly-brisley-lists-in-bondi-beach/2011121352830" target="_blank"> Holly Brisley's Bondi Beach apartment</a>, which hit the market this week.
 
 
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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/incredible-prediction-of-australian-property-bloodbath-excites-twitter/2012012053102" target="_self"><img src="/images/stories/60.jpg"></a>
The amount by which American<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/incredible-prediction-of-australian-property-bloodbath-excites-twitter/2012012053102" target="_blank"> self-described "real estate expert" Jordan Wirsz predicts Australian house prices will fall</a> in the next five years. Prominent property doom commentator Steve Keen  expressed ironic relief via Twitter that another analyst has forecast even worse tidings than his longstanding forecast for the Australian property market.
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_self" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/top-10-suburbs-with-the-highest-annual-growth-in-2011in-victoria-reiv/2012012253105"><img src="/images/stories/10point8.jpg"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/top-10-suburbs-with-the-highest-annual-growth-in-2011in-victoria-reiv/2012012253105">annual capital growth in Prahran during 2011</a>, the highest capital growth in Victoria during the year.
 
<hr>
 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/melbourne-metro-house-prices-5.2-cheaper-than-a-year-ago-reiv/2012012253107" target="_self"><img src="/images/stories/5point2percent.jpg"></a>
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/melbourne-metro-house-prices-5.2-cheaper-than-a-year-ago-reiv/2012012253107" target="_blank">overall drop in Melbourne house prices in 2011</a>, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria. The institute puts the median house price at $550,000, a minor increase of 1.9% from the revised September quarter median of $540,000, but 5.2% down on a median of $580,000 a year ago.
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/sydney-and-melbourne-in-the-top-five-least-affordable-cities-in-the-world-demographia/2012012353110" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/3number.jpg"></a>
 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/sydney-and-melbourne-in-the-top-five-least-affordable-cities-in-the-world-demographia/2012012353110" target="_blank">Sydney's rank on the list of the most unaffordable cities in the world,</a> according to the Eighth Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey. Melbourne is ranked fourth, and Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth are all in the top 15. 
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/chinese-appetite-for-gold-coast-property-soars-to-record-highs-in-2010-11-colliers/2012012353056"><img src="/images/stories/66point9.jpg"></a>
The amount of money that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/chinese-appetite-for-gold-coast-property-soars-to-record-highs-in-2010-11-colliers/2012012353056">offshore Chinese buyers spent on Gold Coast property during the 2010-11 financial year</a>. Chinese buyers accounted for nearly a third of foreign purchases of Queensland residential real estate during the 2010-11 financial year
 
<hr>
 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/nicole-kidman-to-auction-last-piece-of-far-south-coast-nsw-land-title-tattle/2012012353116" target="_self"><img src="/images/stories/1point2mill.gif"></a>
The amount <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/nicole-kidman-to-auction-last-piece-of-far-south-coast-nsw-land-title-tattle/2012012353116" target="_self">Nicole Kidman has hoped to secure for her landholding on the NSW far south coast </a>since 2008. She will auction the property next month.
 
<hr>
<img src="/images/stories/4m.jpg">
 
The sale price Singaporean businessman Ronald Ooi paid for Dame Joan Sutherland's childhood home, a derelict cottage in Woollahra. Several years before her death Sutherland noted: "Unfortunately, from the time my family gave up the house, the deterioration set in.”
 
 
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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/queensland-government-to-extend-building-boost-until-april/2012011253029" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/10k.jpg"></a>
The amount of money that is on offer from the Queensland government to build a new home under $600,000. The Queensland building boost was meant to end at the end of January but <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/queensland-government-to-extend-building-boost-until-april/2012011253029" target="_blank">has been extended until April</a>.
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_self" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/february-rate-cut-tipped-to-boost-australian-housing-market/2012011253030"><img src="/images/stories/99percent.jpg"></a>
The <a target="_self" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/february-rate-cut-tipped-to-boost-australian-housing-market/2012011253030">probability that the futures marketing is pricing for an RBA interest rate cut in February</a>. Many economists, including Westpac's Bill Evans, concur that the Reserve Bank is likely to slash rates again when it next meets. 
 
<hr>
 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/investors-dry-up-as-dixon-advisory-raises-%2431-million-for-us-property-fund-in-third-capital-raising/2012011353033" target="_self"><img src="/images/stories/31m.jpg"></a>
The amount that <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/investors-dry-up-as-dixon-advisory-raises-%2431-million-for-us-property-fund-in-third-capital-raising/2012011353033" target="_self">Dixon Advisory's US Residential Masters Fund secured in its second round of capital raising</a>. The $31 million raised equates to less than a quarter of the maximum $140 million that was sought from investors, suggesting appetite for the fund has diminished <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/overseas/australian-investment-fund-snaps-up-19-properties-in-us-state-of-new-jersey/2011070150672" style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">since the fund listed in June</a> last year.
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/warrnambool-emerges-but-queensland-s-gladstone-still-darling-of-investment-experts/2012011653050"><img src="/images/stories/3number.jpg"></a>
The number of s<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/warrnambool-emerges-but-queensland-s-gladstone-still-darling-of-investment-experts/2012011653050">uburbs on Smart Property Investment magazine’s 2012 list of 50 suburbs or towns with the most capital growth potential</a> that received multiple votes. The three hotspots were the Victorian town of Warrnambool and the Queensland mining towns of Gladstone and Rockhampton.
 
<hr>
 
<img src="/images/stories/17percent.gif">
The percentage increase from the June 2011 quarter to the September 2011 quarter in the number of sales in Queensland. Some regions recorded substantial jumps in activity as buyers finally started to foray back into the market.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/sydney-house-rents-up-%2455-per-week-in-six-months-but-brisbane-rents-down-residex/2012011753063"><img src="/images/stories/55dollars.jpg"></a>
 
The amount that the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/sydney-house-rents-up-%2455-per-week-in-six-months-but-brisbane-rents-down-residex/2012011753063">median rent rose for Sydney houses rose between June 2011 and December 2011</a>. Median house rents rose from $500 to $555 in the space of six months, according to the latest Residex data.
 
<hr>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/jimmy-barnes-lists-his-botany-industrial-investment-title-tattle/2012011853079" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/3mil.jpg"></a>
 
The amount that Cold Chisel frontman <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/jimmy-barnes-lists-his-botany-industrial-investment-title-tattle/2012011853079" target="_blank">Jimmy Barnes hopes to secure for two industrial warehouse investments</a> in the Sydney suburb of Botany. They cost $2.3 million in 2009 when bought by Barnes and his wife, Jane. 
 
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Prestige Victoria and New South Wales properties were neck and neck this week, with four entries each on RP Data's last top 10 sales list for the year. Queensland rounded out the list, with two properties from the Sunshine State. 
1. 85 Broadway, Camberwell, VIC, 3124, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on December 15 by Jellis Craig Hawthorn for $3.22 million
2. 141 Avoca Drive, Avoca Beach, NSW, 2251, three-bedroom house, sold on December 15 by George Brand Real Estate for $ 3,022,500
3. 45/93 Elizabeth Bay Road, Elizabeth Bay, NSW, 2011, three-bedroom unit, sold on December 15 by Laing + Simmons Potts Point for $2.65 million
4. 23 Bridge Street, Hampton, VIC, 3188, five-bedroom house, sold at auction on December 17 by Hocking Stuart Sandringham for $ 2,165,000
5. 9/4 Gladswood Garden, Double Bay, NSW, 2028, three-bedroom unit, sold before auction on December 13 by Bradfield and Prichard Double Bay for $ 2,101,000
6. 53 Camperdown Street, Brighton East, VIC, 3187, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on December 17 by Hodges Brighton for $2.01 million
7. 15 Sir Samuel Griffith Drive, Toowong, QLD, 4066, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on December 17 by Place Estate Agents for $2 million
8. 42 Clara Street, South Yarra, VIC, 3141 three-bedroom house, sold at auction on December 17 by ResCom South Yarra for $1.9 million
9. 27 Riddell Street, Bellevue Hill, NSW, 2023, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on December 13 by Laing + Simmons Double Bay for $1.88 million
10. 64 Ocean Parade, Yeppon, QLD, 4703, four-bedroom house, sold on December 13 by Brian Hooper Real Estate for $1.79 million
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Top 10 sales of the week: RP Data

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An extremely tighly held apartment in South Yarra is likely to attract fierce competition when it goes to auction this weekend, according to Mark Armstrong from<a href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au/" target="_blank"> Property Tycoon</a>.
"Scarce does not begin to describe 6/50 Marne St South Yarra going to auction this Saturday," Armstrong says. 
He points out that it has not been sold in 30 years and is likely to appeal to a wide range of potential buyers.
"Located within walking distance to the Botanic Gardens, Fawkner Park and Domain Road cafes, this massive 21.5 square [about 200-square-metre] apartment will he highly sought after by downsizing baby boomers, home buyers and investors who are all looking to capture a unique South Yarra property."
<img src="/images/stories/marne.jpg">
Agent: RT Edgar agent David Colbran
Quote: $1.6 million plus
Last Sold: No previous sale on record
Suburb median: $590,000
Five-year median growth: 11.33%
If you think you know what it will sell for place a tip at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertytycoon.com.au/">Property Tycoon</a>.
 
 
 
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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/hotels-outperform-all-other-commercial-sectors-ipd/2011120452602" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/17percent.gif"></a>
The<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/hotels-outperform-all-other-commercial-sectors-ipd/2011120452602" target="_blank"> total returns for the hotel sector during the past 12 months</a> according to results released by the Property Council of Australia and real estate information group IPD. This was significantly higher than those generated for office, retail and industrial assets, which all returned about 10%.
 
<hr>
 
<a target="_blank" href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/414num.gif"></a>
The number of <a target="_blank" href="/news">Mortgage Choice franchises in Australia</a>. The company is the biggest player in the mortgage broking market.
 
<hr>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/international/disney-fan-snaps-up-replica-house-from-pixar-s-up/2011120552684"><img src="/images/stories/400k.gif"></a>
 
The price Clinton and Lynette Hamblin have paid for a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/international/disney-fan-snaps-up-replica-house-from-pixar-s-up/2011120552684">Utah house that is a replica of the house belonging to Ellie and Carl Fredrickson lived in in the 2009 Pixar movie Up</a>. "It really shows you don't have to have a palatial mansion. A home is a place where you create memories," the home's builder, Adam Bangerter, said of his decision to create it.
 
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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/brighton-bathing-box-market-buoyant/2011120652689" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2m.jpg"></a>
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/brighton-bathing-box-market-buoyant/2011120652689" target="_blank">approxiate amount the 10 sales of Brighton beach bathing boxes have netted this year</a>. The market for the colourful icons has been booming, with 10 sold last year and a further three currently on the market. Bayside Council intends to auction another two newly built boxes early next year.
 
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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/relief-as-rba-cuts-rates-by-25-basis-points/2011120652694" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/4point25percent.gif"></a>
 
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/relief-as-rba-cuts-rates-by-25-basis-points/2011120652694" target="_blank">official cash rate</a> following the RBA's decision to cut interest rates by 25 basis points. Many banks, including <a href="/news">Bank of Queensland</a>, <a href="/news">ME Bank</a>, and all four of the majors, are passing the full rate cut onto their customers.
 
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/harry-triguboff-s-meriton-group-to-build-700-serviced-apartments-next-year-across-australia/2011120752737"><img src="/images/stories/700.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/harry-triguboff-s-meriton-group-to-build-700-serviced-apartments-next-year-across-australia/2011120752737">number of serviced apartment Harry Triguboff's Meriton group intends to build</a> across Australia next year.
 
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<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/housing-affordability-improving-slowly-in-all-mainland-capitals-hia/2011120852744" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/5point2percent.jpg"></a>
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/housing-affordability-improving-slowly-in-all-mainland-capitals-hia/2011120852744" target="_blank">improvement in housing affordability compared with the same time in 2010</a>, according to the Housing Industry of Australia. Housing affordability increased for the third consecutive quarter. 
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Developers and apartment buyers have a narrowing window of opportunity before Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure pipeline begins competing directly with residential construction, pushing up costs, tightening labour supply and making new projects increasingly difficult to deliver.

While Brisbane's apartment market continues to benefit from strong population growth and limited housing supply, industry research suggests the years leading up to 2027 could prove to be the most important period for developers looking to secure builders and buyers hoping to purchase before the next wave of price increases.

A new Colliers report, Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Creating Solutions, highlights the scale of the challenge. While thousands of new homes are planned across South East Queensland, the Brisbane Olympic Athletes Village alone will deliver more than 10,500 beds during the Games before being converted into around 1,750 to 2,000 apartments. Equivalent to almost two years of typical inner-city apartment supply, the project will also absorb a significant share of the construction workforce and building materials.

The broader construction pipeline paints an even clearer picture.

Construction Skills Queensland's Horizon 2032 report forecasts Queensland's annual construction pipeline will average $69 billion over the coming years before peaking at $75 billion in 2027-28. Demand for construction workers is expected to increase by 17 per cent to almost 150,000 people, with the industry facing an annual shortfall of around 19,000 workers that could blow out to as many as 35,000 during the peak construction period.

The Olympic venues, athletes village and supporting infrastructure will account for billions of dollars worth of work across South East Queensland through to 2032, creating intense competition for labour at a time when Australia's residential construction sector is already under pressure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=373834]

Colliers Queensland Residential Director Andrew Scriven said the convergence of these projects is creating a clear window of opportunity for both developers and buyers.

"From 2027 onwards, the market will shift dramatically," Scriven said.

"Labour will increasingly be locked into government-led infrastructure and Olympic projects, which means private residential developments will face higher costs and tighter margins. The developers who move now are the ones most likely to get projects off the ground."

Scriven said the same dynamic would also affect buyers, with fewer apartment projects expected to launch once construction capacity tightens.

"If you're looking to change your lifestyle over the next five years, now is your window of opportunity to buy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150713 project_image_fid=373827]

Developers are already positioning themselves ahead of that window.

Following the success of Monarch at Toowong, Consolidated Properties is preparing to launch two new Brisbane apartment projects in the second half of 2026. They include <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gloriette-30-bedivere-street-yeerongpilly-qld-4105">Gloriette</a> at Yeerongpilly Green, a 25-storey tower within one of Brisbane's key Olympic precincts, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a recently approved 25-storey riverfront development at 47 Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

Hutchinson Builders will deliver both projects, with early works already underway at Yeerongpilly and Newstead expected to commence later this year.

The timing comes as Brisbane's fundamentals continue to strengthen, with strong interstate migration, population growth and vacancy rates remaining below 1.5 per cent.

Colliers Queensland researcher Pragya Sharma said Greater Brisbane is forecast to require around 40,000 new apartments between 2021 and 2031.

"There's a real mismatch emerging between when housing is needed and when it will be feasible to build," Sharma said.

"As a result, the period leading up to 2027 presents a key window of opportunity for developers to secure approvals, funding and construction capacity, while buyers will have greater choice before supply constraints intensify."

Colliers research outlines a critical pre-2027 window to start residential projects before labour squeeze: now is the time to buy

Joel Robinson

Developers, buyers on watch in South East Queensland ahead of construction crunch: Colliers

It's taken less than nine months for developer Sherpa Property Group to sell out all 51 apartments in its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-oasis-palm-beach-7-9-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Oasis</a> development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a>, over a year before its anticipated completion.

&nbsp;

Located at 7-9 Sixth Avenue, the $67 million development has resonated strongly with both local owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking high-quality apartments within walking distance of the beach, dining precincts and everyday amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357458]

Christie Leet, Founder of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a>, said the sell-out reflected both the strength of the Palm Beach market and the success of Sherpa's community-first approach to development.

"The sell-out of Oasis is a fantastic outcome and reinforces the strong demand we're seeing for thoughtfully designed apartments in lifestyle locations," Leet said.

"From the outset, our vision was to create a development that genuinely enhanced the Palm Beach community while providing residents with exceptional homes and wellness-focused amenities.

"We've been incredibly encouraged by the level of local support throughout the campaign, 72.5 per cent of buyers are locals, with a significant proportion of purchasers choosing Oasis as their future home rather than an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357463]

Construction is now progressing following development approval, with trusted builder LPS Group delivering the project and completion anticipated in Q3 2027.

Oasis forms part of Sherpa Group's successful Flourish collection, which has become recognised for its focus on wellness, community and elevated coastal living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357469]

Residents will have private access to a rooftop amenity space featuring a pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, spa and barbecue facilities.

"The success of Oasis demonstrates that buyers continue to prioritise quality, location and lifestyle," Leet said.

"We are proud to have delivered a project that has resonated so strongly with the market and look forward to bringing Oasis to life for our future residents."

Sherpa recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a>, its third instalment of the Flourish brand in Palm Beach following Flourish Oasis and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151449]

Sherpa sells out Flourish Oasis in booming Palm Beach

Urban Property Group's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-macquarie-park-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a> is leading the next phase of Macquarie Park's residential evolution, with the new apartment development set to become the first of several new apartment projects in the precinct to complete.

The 169-apartment building has now topped out ahead of its scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2026, as new residential investment continues to reshape one of Sydney's largest employment hubs into a true mixed-use precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=368645]

Cox Architecture has designed La Vera to capture the best of its unique positioning on Talavera Road, orienting the building towards Lane Cove National Park.&nbsp;The building features a sculpted northern façade with flowing curves inspired by the surrounding landscape, while its city-facing elevation adopts a more structured architectural expression to maximise skyline views.

"The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park," <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> Director Felipe Miranda said.

"The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=358802]

La Vera offers a diverse mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom configurations, with prices currently starting from $740,000. Buyers so far have been a mix of Sydney-based investors,&nbsp;metro commuters, owner-occupiers and downsizers from surrounding North Shore suburbs.

Both investors and owner-occupiers have been drawn to La Vera's proximity to Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Centre and the Sydney Metro, infrastructure that supports both strong rental demand and a convenient lifestyle for residents.

The apartments feature full-height glazing, timber flooring throughout living areas, stone kitchen benchtops, SMEG appliances, floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling and ducted air conditioning.

Residents will have access to a rooftop recreation level featuring a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue facilities and landscaped relaxation areas, complemented by additional communal space at ground level. Many apartments enjoy uninterrupted views across Lane Cove National Park, reinforcing the project's connection to its natural setting.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=364551]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly four decades of experience, holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating and was Australia's first developer to introduce 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI). La Vera is the first apartment development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> approved to offer the additional insurance protection, alongside a five-year warranty on SMEG appliances.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said the additional protection reflects changing buyer expectations in the off the plan market.

"Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share," Elias said.

Following completion of the building later this year, buyers will move into their apartments well before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]

La Vera closes in on completion as Macquarie Park continues residential transformation

Brisbane developer Red &amp; Co's decision to include dual key apartments in its debut Gold Coast apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/como-varsity-lakes-22-lake-street-varsity-lakes-qld-4227">COMO Varsity Lakes</a>, is proving to be one of the project's biggest drawcards, with buyers quickly snapping up the flexible residences.

More than half of the project's 36 dual key apartments have already sold, helping drive COMO beyond the 50 per cent sold mark within the first month of launch.

The strong response highlights growing demand for apartment designs that can adapt to changing lifestyles, with buyers increasingly looking for homes that accommodate multi-generational living, provide rental income opportunities or simply offer greater flexibility over time.

Located on the shores of Lake Orr, COMO will deliver 156 apartments across 16 levels, with the dual-key residences forming a limited release within the broader development.

Each combines a primary two-bedroom apartment with a fully self-contained studio on a single title, connected by a shared foyer and lockable internal door. The design allows owners to house ageing parents, adult children or guests while maintaining privacy, or lease the secondary residence to generate additional income.

Just 17 of the original 36 dual key apartments remain available.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=367096]

The innovative configuration combines two fully self-contained residences on a single title, typically comprising a primary two-bedroom apartment alongside a separate studio residence, connected via a shared foyer and lockable internal door.&nbsp;

The model is proving particularly attractive to owner occupiers navigating changing family dynamics and the realities of the current housing crisis.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363511]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/npa">NPA</a>&nbsp;CEO Andrew Erwin said dual key living was resonating strongly with modern buyers because it delivered both financial flexibility and practical lifestyle benefits.&nbsp;

“The housing crisis and rising cost of living are fundamentally changing how Australians think about home ownership,” Erwin said.&nbsp;

“Dual key apartments provide a genuine solution for families who want to stay connected while maintaining independence. Parents can help adult children save for a future home, ageing parents can remain nearby without moving into aged care, and owners still retain privacy and flexibility.

“Importantly, buyers are also recognising the financial advantages. It creates the opportunity to generate additional income from part of the home without the holding costs associated with owning a separate investment property.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363509]

Unlike traditional dual occupancy arrangements, the residences operate under a single title, meaning owners only incur one set of body corporate fees, council rates and holding costs.&nbsp;

The secondary residence can also evolve over time - functioning as guest accommodation, a home office, creative studio or private retreat before later becoming an income-producing asset.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/red-co">Red &amp; Co</a>&nbsp;Director and Co-Founder David Laverty said the strong early sales reflected growing buyer urgency and changing priorities within the market.&nbsp;

“Securing more than half of COMO’s residences within such a short timeframe is an outstanding result and a clear endorsement of both the design and location,” Laverty said.&nbsp;

“Buyers are responding to the combination of location, connectivity and amenity, but ultimately it’s value relative to other East Coast markets that is driving enquiry.”&nbsp;

“We’re also seeing strong interest from owner occupiers looking for homes that can adapt with them over time. Flexibility has become one of the most important considerations for buyers in today’s market.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363515]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>, COMO features a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom residences with 2.7-metre ceilings and larger-format floorplans aimed at owner occupiers, downsizers and lifestyle-focused buyers.&nbsp;

The development will feature an extensive rooftop recreation and wellness offering including a 25-metre lap pool, sundeck, barbecue and dining areas, gym, sauna, plunge baths, landscaped gardens, wellness spaces and rooftop pickleball and paddleball courts.

The remaining dual key apartments range from 137 sqm to 167 sqm and include generous three-bedroom layouts with separate self-contained studio accommodation and dual parking.&nbsp;

Erwin said the dual key concept represented a broader shift in how Australians would live in the future.

“People want homes that can evolve with their lives,” he said.&nbsp;

“A dual key apartment can suit a family today, support an ageing parent tomorrow, and potentially generate income later on. That adaptability is becoming incredibly valuable in the current environment.”

Prices currently range from $2,115,750 to $2,583,000.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135546]

Inter-generational living drives demand for COMO’s dual key apartments as housing pressures reshape buyer priorities 

Builder-developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ceerose">Ceerose</a> has doubled down on its Leichhardt ambitions, lodging its second State Significant Development Application (SSDA) in the suburb in the last six months.

Their newest proposal seeks to transform a former industrial precinct into a new residential community centred around the adaptive reuse of one of the site's heritage warehouse buildings.

The new project, on a 6,930 sqm block at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/40-76-william-street-leichhardt-nsw-2040">40–76 William Street</a>, will bring more than 200 apartments to a suburb that has seen little to no new supply in recent years. It follows Ceerose's late 2025 SSDA for a mixed-use apartment project on nearby Parramatta Road, signalling the developer's growing investment in Sydney's Inner West.

Ceerose Founder Edward Doueihi told Apartments.com.au the developer’s long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West had given it a strong understanding of how the area has evolved and where its future opportunities lie.

“Ceerose has had a long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West, giving us a unique understanding of the area’s evolution and future potential,” Doueihi said.

“Having delivered projects throughout the region, we have witnessed the suburb’s transformation first-hand and understand the opportunities for its continued growth.”

Doueihi said that understanding also informed the planning process, with a comprehensive Stakeholder Engagement Outcomes Report prepared before the application was lodged.

The report identified the key issues and concerns raised by neighbouring residents and other stakeholders, allowing those matters to be considered and incorporated into the design where appropriate.

He said the delivery of additional housing would also play an important role in supporting the revitalisation of Norton Street and the Italian Forum.

“By increasing the local residential population, the development is expected to strengthen demand for local businesses, encourage further investment, and help restore the vibrancy that made the precinct a thriving destination in the early 2000s.”

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7258c54c-8167-479e-8361-2d5fca9915b4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010B%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%202.jpg?VersionId=S9DQfxu_jpcB5LrAEYFUbyMzg5odW6i5" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, the redevelopment would involve the demolition of four existing industrial buildings while retaining and adaptively reusing the site's most significant warehouse. The retained structure would anchor a new residential precinct comprising five interconnected buildings arranged around a large central landscaped courtyard, with heights stepping from five storeys along the surrounding residential streets to 11 storeys at the William Street corner.

According to the Architecture Design Report by Woods Bagot, the proposal "seeks to create a residential village centred around a generous green heart while celebrating the site's industrial heritage through the adaptive reuse of the existing warehouse building."

The development would comprise 203 apartments, with 188 proposed as build-to-sell residences, alongside 15 affordable housing apartments.

Rather than treating the retained warehouse as a standalone heritage object, Woods Bagot has sought to weave the site's industrial history throughout the masterplan. The proposal retains the north and west facades of the landmark corner warehouse, while new buildings reinterpret the site's brick-and-steel industrial language through their material palette and architectural expression.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9e8c64c2-881b-49e1-8c90-6b6acaaa45b6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010C%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%203.jpg?VersionId=Qm8_8H_Xrg_sc4Mdjc59vlAcKF_5wRTb" />

The design is organised around what Woods Bagot describes as a "green heart", a landscaped communal open space that reinstates the leafy character removed when the site became an industrial storage facility. A new pedestrian laneway running through the site would improve permeability between William, North and Francis streets, linking residents through landscaped public spaces while activating the ground plane.

Residents would have access to communal gardens and shared recreation areas distributed throughout the development. Sustainability has also been prioritised, with the project targeting an average 7.9-star NatHERS rating. Proposed initiatives include rooftop solar generation, rainwater harvesting, passive solar design, naturally ventilated lobbies, extensive cross-ventilation and the reuse of existing building fabric to reduce embodied carbon.

The adaptive reuse strategy became a defining feature of the application after heritage investigations found only one of the site's industrial buildings could feasibly be retained. The Heritage Impact Statement concludes that preserving the key warehouse façades while referencing the site's industrial character throughout the new development provides an appropriate balance between renewal and conservation.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="efffafdb-594f-4e2b-a067-921fd51c05e1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010D%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%204.jpg?VersionId=DPmE4.k16YRt0i27hEZVtJAffarpvUfx" />

"Retention and adaptation of the site buildings has been explored but found not to be feasible except for the tallest building, whose street facades will be retained," the heritage report states.

"The proposed building will interpret the brick and steel character of the subject site, including reuse of some components and construction of a large 'sawtooth' structure in the proposed open space."

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3bfef2b5-83f5-40cd-9cab-767092f34266" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010E%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%205.jpg?VersionId=7asb3i_ql4ybbuJOUb5UHBEIy0Q9t.DF" />

The William Street site is located around 300 metres from Leichhardt North Light Rail station and a short walk to Norton Street's retail, dining and hospitality precinct. The surrounding area has increasingly become a focus for urban renewal given its proximity to public transport and the Parramatta Road corridor.

Doueihi founded Ceerose in 1998 and has grown the business to become one of Sydney's more active apartment developers in recent years, with completed projects including The Alex Collective in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay. They are currently delivering Belgravia, 17 luxury apartments in Potts Point.

Cassidy Knowlton

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