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1. Lack of research
Most investors fail to properly research the market and understand the relationship each sector (office, retail and industrial) has with the local economy, nearby competition and the marketplace itself.
2. Poor analysis
Many investors fail to thoroughly analyse and research their chosen properties as far as the overall economics, calibre of the tenant and any related risks that may be involved.
3. Lack of commitment
Investing in commercial property requires a reasonable degree of hands-on involvement. Some investors make the mistake of believing they can be absentee landlords. You at least need to be involved at a strategic level.
4. Over-borrowing
Negative gearing is fine. But you still need to start with sufficient equity to ensure that your investment is not over-leveraged. Always keep some funds aside for unforeseen issues that may arise.
5. Lack of understanding
The ownership of Commercial property needs a basic understanding of things like tenancy law, building construction, how to add value, recognising market trends and so on. All of these can be very easily addressed.
6. Price vs. value
Some beginners tend to believe a cheap price means good value and a sound investment. Instead, you need to look behind what is being presented to discover the true underlying value.
7. Over-estimating your skills
To be a really successful commercial investor, you need to build up a trusted team around you — to provide valuable input in the areas of
<ul>
<li>analysis and due-diligence,</li>
<li>negotiating the purchase,</li>
<li>vetting the documentation,</li>
<li>ongoing property management,</li>
<li>determining the time to sell</li>
</ul>
8. Lack of diversity
After you've purchased your first property, you need to widen your perspective — both geographically, and across the various sectors of commercial property. Never simply have all your eggs in one basket.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Eight reasons investors can fail when investing in commercial property

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According to BlueScope Steel business, governments, industry associations and unions need to share responsibility for its recent decision to reduce (by 50%) Port Kembla's production capacity.
However, this attempt to distribute blame serves only to deflect attention from the more fundamental (and structural) changes occurring within the manufacturing sector as a whole.
Within his new book The Next Convergence, Nobel laureate economist Michael Spence makes some telling forecasts.
In his view, developing economies like China, India and Brazil (which house about 60% of the world's population) will reach “advanced status” by 2050-60.
And the current problems facing the West — excess debt, over-consumption and poor banking practices — are not merely a cyclical aberration.
Rather, they reflect permanent structural changes resulting from globalisation and technology — which are providing a shift in competitive advantage towards these developing countries.
However, as Alan Mitchell pointed out in a recent AFR article: "It is the resources sector that is allowing Australia to profit handsomely from the industrial revolution in Asia. And it is the services sector that employs 80% of the workforce and produces 80% of our gross domestic product."
Both these sectors employ a far greater proportion of uni graduates than does the manufacturing sector. And it is the resource and knowledge-based sectors that hold the key to Australia's competitive advantage going forward.
Clearly the growth of mining and the reluctance by consumers to spend are both adversely affecting manufacturers. And the Australian dollar is also likely to remain high for the foreseeable future.
Bottom line: It's not all bad news!
This shift in resources from the unprofitable manufacturing to mining allows us to capitalise on Asia's extraordinary growth. Plus, higher savings levels means that households will be better cope with any future global crises — as well as avoiding further rates rises, and an even stronger dollar.
Furthermore, the resultant growth in the service sector will also need to be accommodated — creating increased demand for office space within our capital cities.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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As manufacturing dwindles, office a better commercial investment

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Many investors just simply fall in love with retail property. This is probably because of familiarity — as it tends to influence so much of our daily lives.
Therefore, after investing in residential property for a while, you find people will gravitate naturally towards retail properly.
To them, it seems to be the next logical step. But is that actually the case?
Let's talk about the weather!
Surely, that only affects rural property — doesn't it? Well, just ask struggling retailers, and they'll tell you otherwise.
You see, in the run up to summer clothing retailers will be holding their breath. Any onset of wet weather will greatly affect the sale of thongs, board shorts and bikinis. And Coca-Cola blamed the fall in its soft-drink sales upon last summer's heavy rains.
Interestingly though, rain also tends to drive people indoors to regional shopping centres — but mostly to browse and eat, rather than buy specialty items.
Cinemas will also benefit from poor weather conditions, whereas, tourist and outdoor entertainment operators find the going tough.
What about interest rates?
The residential sector will always suffer first (and the most), whenever interest rates are on the rise. But as people need to spend more on their mortgage payments, they have less to spend on discretionary retail items. This is particularly when <a target="_blank" href="/news">they also decided to boost their savings to near-record levels</a>.
In this rising interest-rate sequence, industrial property will tend to follow retail — and begin to slow about six to nine months afterwards.
This is because Australia's industrial property is predominantly occupied by "distributors", rather than manufacturers. And these distributors are mainly supplying those struggling retailers.
So that only leaves offices!
According to an 80-year study by BIS Shrapnel, there appears to be little or no correlation between rising interest rates and the office sector.
Therefore, the rise and fall for offices is dictated by the prevailing supply and demand within the sector. And traditionally, that has tended to span a 16- to 18-year cycle.
Bottom Line: If you understand how to read the signs and can anticipate the cycles, you need not be caught out.
But clearly, the retail sector is delicately poised at the moment, whereas, offices are currently heading along a predictable upward path.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Offices a more stable commercial investment than retail

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Exactly why have industrial companies around the world been slow to recover? And why did everything look so promising and then suddenly seem to grind to a halt?
Perhaps some insight into this question was provided by the IMF's recent World Economic Outlook.
According to Oliver Blanchard (IMF chief economist), there are the dual influences of a slowdown in advanced Western economies and the overall financial uncertainty.
During the GFC, companies allowed their inventories to run down. Then, with a hint of global recovery, those same companies began replacing their depleted inventory levels.
As you would expect, production climbed until those inventories had been restored. At which point, you saw production return to more normal levels – when wider business activity was expected to take over from the various government stimulus packages, as it usually did during previous downturns.
But this simply hasn't happen – especially in Europe, the UK and US. Therefore, the first part of the problem relates to there being virtually no transition from government stimulus to private demand.
Furthermore, China has chosen to turn its focus away from these weakened northern economies and towards building its own domestic demand. This has effectively closed the major export market for the large US manufacturing sector, simply making the global problem even harder to solve.
Bottom Line: Fortunately for Australia, China still requires our natural resources in abundance to underpin its massive domestic expansion plans over the next decade.
And as I've stated in various articles over the past month or so, it won't be too long before you'll see the influence of this begin to flow through the rest of the Australian economy, including commercial property.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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China's demand for natural resources will underpin Australia's commercial property recovery

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As we look to what's ahead for 2012, Property Observer is republishing some of our most noteworthy stories of 2011.
 
In September <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/commercial/what-green-ratings-mean-for-commercial-property/2011081651174">I briefly explained to you the NABERS "green rating" system</a>, as it relates to commercial property.
Recent research (undertaken by the universities of Western Sydney and Maastricht in the Netherlands) has been released by the Australian Property Institute and Property Funds Association of Australia, under the title of Building Better Returns.
The report reveals that a five-star NABERS Energy-rated building would provide a 9% value premium overall, compared with buildings without any ranking.
Interestingly, there was no value premium found for office buildings below a three-star NABERS rating. In fact, rentals within these lower-rated buildings appear to be discounted by between 6% and 9%, compared with 5-star alternatives.
But that's not all bad news for landlords — because when times get tough, tenants tend to gravitate towards cheaper space.
Plus, with very few new five-star offerings currently in the pipeline, these lesser-rated buildings will experience significant rental growth over the next three to four years.
Bottom Line: If you do your homework, seek good professional advice and "cut your cloth" to fit within your budget, you can still make some serious gains over the next five years.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Green-star ratings can increase commercial rents

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You know, I'm always intrigued how many investors place little or no importance upon the skills required to put together a top property deal.
They will spend plenty of time researching the market and arranging finance but will often get emotionally involved and want to conclude the negotiating phase as soon as possible.
1. Remember, it's just a deal
Therefore, never allow yourself to become emotionally attached to whatever you're negotiating for. You need to care — not that much!
Otherwise, you'll end up over-paying for that property.
2. Information is the key
The more you know about the other party's needs, wants and aspirations, the greater your strategic advantage becomes. And the secret is to discover all of this before the formal negotiation actually begins.
3. You always have some degree of power
Power is very much based on perception. And simply creating the illusion of having other options will always make whatever you're proposing seem far more appealing. But there are several other aspects of power you can easily master as well.
4. Gain from their investment
The more you can have the other party make as an investment of their time, money or effort into the deal, the more unlikely they are to walk away from your final proposal when the time comes for you to make it.
5. Time can change everything
Most beginners tend to treat negotiating as an "event". However, the pros realise that it is very much a "process".
And the closer you can move the other party towards their deadline, the larger will be the concessions you start receiving from them.
Bottom Line: You need to be able to treat negotiating is a game — a very serious game! But a game nonetheless, with its own set of rules, which you can very quickly learn.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Six tips to negotiating a commercial property deal

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The best-looking property could actually represent the worst real estate investment you've ever made.
Remember that commercial real estate investing is all about the deal, the terms and the return on investment. Here are some tips for successful commercial real estate investing.
TIP #1: Be an investor and not merely of an accumulator of commercial properties.
The reason you make investments is to produce an income or a profit. So if you buy a property that produces little or no profit, you basically just acquired a property (instead of making an investment).
TIP #2: Understand that every commercial property has a lifetime.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make as an investor is to ignore the fact that over time, you will need to spend money on the upkeep of the building. The building may need a new roof or the electrical system may need to be updated.
Every building goes through these phases, some more so than others. Therefore, make sure you have a long-term plan to handle such repairs.
TIP #3: Focus on one commercial investment type at a time.
Especially when you're first starting out, you should focus on one type of investment: offices, shops, warehouses, or whatever.
Each deal needs and deserves your undivided attention. It's better to be master of one than average over many. And who wants average-performing properties anyway?
TIP #4: Get a mentor so you can learn from his or her mistakes.
Mentors can save you from making costly mistakes; identify when you've missed due diligence items; and connect you with resources that you otherwise wouldn't have immediate access to.
TIP #5: Determine whether you and your assets are adequately protected.
Unfortunately, lawsuits can occur, therefore, you need to do everything you can to protect yourself. So ask yourself the following questions:
How is your property protected?
What do you have at stake, if you lose a lawsuit?
Is your personal property (for example, your home) protected?
Are your other investments totally separate from each other so that one lawsuit doesn't affect the other investments?
Don't try to guess, when it comes to the answers to these questions. Talk to a lawyer to ensure that you're protected if you were ever to be sued.
BONUS TIP: In a partnership or syndicate, finance the deal using a non-recourse loan.
Non-recourse means that you aren't personally guaranteeing the loan. This gives you two distinct advantages: it allows you to be taken off the loan if the partnership goes sour. And, if the property were to fail, it won't be tied to you personally.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Six tips for smart commercial investing

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Investing in commercial property is not rocket science.
Nonetheless, there are certain key steps you do need to follow. And those involve you in making a number of simple (yet vital) decisions.
DECISION #1: Your goals for the long and short term? 
In other words, are you seeking income or capital growth – or both? Maybe you are after some good tax savings – through negative gearing or depreciation?
DECISION #2: The sleep test
You need to establish your comfort level as far as the amount you will borrow. For some people 80% is fine; for others, 50% is all they can live with. So you need to determine your "threshold of insomnia".
DECISION #3: Your overall portfolio mix
Do you intend to focus on just one sector in the commercial property market – like retail? Or do you prefer a spread across the office and industrial sectors as well? Having some diversity will help you smooth out any ups and downs that may occur along the way.
DECISION #4 Go it alone, or join with others
Not many people starting out are able to jump straight into the market and buy a commercial property for more than $1 million. Therefore, you can step above the competition by joining with another 12 to 15 like-minded investors in a private syndicate to buy something in the $2 million to $5 million range, where you obtain better value for your money.
DECISION #5: Choosing your team of consultants
As you'll appreciate, simply being able to move quickly can snare you some of the best deals. Therefore, you need to have a trusted team of consultants ready to help you with assessing value; putting the deal together; reviewing the contracts; arranging finance; undertaking the due diligence and so on.
Bottom Line: All you need to do is quickly grasp the various ins and outs of commercial property so that you, too, can start reaping the enormous rewards available.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a target="_blank" title="Chris Lang's blog" href="https://his-best.biz/">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Five key decisions to help your commercial property success

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The market for industrial property in Melbourne has remained strong over the past 12 months – enjoying a solid demand from tenants, owner occupiers and potential investors alike.
According to Savills Australia, leasing activity for the twelve months to June 30 this year was up by more than 7% on the five-year average for Melbourne.
The dominant tenants clearly came from the retail and logistics sectors — with more than 740,000 square metres being leased. And of that amount, just over 200,000 square metres was by way of pre-commitment.
And according to recent research by Colliers International, the current level of rentals and capital values showed increases of between 5% and 18% across the metropolitan area during the last financial year.
Each of the suburban markets is poised to firm further by the end of the year due to a shortage in supply of quality stock and very little development activity currently occurring.
As such, this will only serve to put more upward pressure upon rentals and also cause a marked decrease in any incentives being offered.
Bottom Line: Generally, industrial property will offer you a better return than you'll receive from either retail or offices. But you need to remember that, unlike offices, industrial property’s ongoing fortunes are tied more to the retail sector than the general economy.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Industrial property generally a stable investment

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As we look back on 2011, Property Observer is republishing some of our most noteworthy observations of the year.
 
Baby boomers are facing an enormous challenge. And the sad fact is that they are probably not even aware of the problem.
You see, if they haven’t sold their traditional inner-suburban homes before 2012 they need to be prepared to hold onto them until 2025, because there simply won’t be a market for that type of property before then.
Unlike their parents, boomers will not wait until they are about to be carried out of their present homes before deciding to move. No, they see the next 20 to 30 years as a new chapter in their lives – where they'll want to downsize and start living for themselves.
Sure, they may need to crowbar the kids out first. Or maybe just move to an apartment or a townhouse with a couple of spare bedrooms.
Either way, they are about to start their decision process and will be doing it en masse. And therein lies the problem, when it comes to selling the traditional family home.
The problem is not that there will be any fewer buyers. Rather, that there will be about five times as many of these types of properties on the market over the next 12 to 15 years.
What exactly does this mean?
Despite residential property being currently on the doldrums, statistics tell us that about 60% of the average household wealth is tied up in your family home.
As such, the baby boomers’ equity is now at risk. And, potentially, this will affect them in one (or more) of three ways:
1. Those who have used their equity to finance pre-retirement property investments could well discover they actually have a negative equity in the family home.
2. They suddenly discover that the funding for their retirement plans could come up rather short.
3. The inheritance their children are expecting could be significantly reduced.
As you can appreciate, there could well be a number of people who might not be aware they have a problem, and may, quite unwittingly, are leaving themselves exposed.
Please understand that you're certainly not talking about "trophy" homes here. It is principally those three- to five-bedroom homes in the inner-middle suburbs of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne within the $1 million to $4 million price bracket.
These homes in some cases may have been last renovated 30 years ago, and now they represent mainly land value.
For Brisbane, this would involve suburbs like <a target="_blank" title="Bardon" href="/news">Bardon</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Mount Coot-tha" href="/news">Mount Coot-tha</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Stafford" href="/news">Stafford</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Ascot" href="/news">Ascot</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Mount Gravatt" href="/news">Mount Gravatt</a> and <a target="_blank" title="Woolloongabba" href="/news">Woolloongabba</a>.
For Sydney, it would include <a target="_blank" title="Mosman" href="/news">Mosman</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Chatswood" href="/news">Chatswood</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Roseville" href="/news">Roseville</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Killara" href="/news">Killara</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Gordon" href="/news">Gordon</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Warawee" href="/news">Warrawee </a>and Turramurra.
And for Melbourne, suburbs like <a target="_blank" title="Kew" href="/news">Kew</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Camberwell" href="/news">Camberwell</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Hawthorn" href="/news">Hawthorn</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Armadale" href="/news">Armadale</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Malvern" href="/news">Malvern</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Malvern East" href="/news">East Malvern</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Brighton" href="/news">Brighton</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Elwood" href="/news">Elwood</a> and <a target="_blank" title="Sandringham" href="/news">Sandringham</a>.
Historically, your family home has been considered to be a de facto part of your superannuation. However, as a Baby Boomer that could well prove to be a myth — unless you make the move to downsize early, and beat the rush.
All the financial crisis has done is delay the start of this process a year or two, due to the general uncertainty.
As a general comment, during this period, the baby boomers will tend to live where they now holiday, and holiday where they now live. So in the city they will seek a scaled-down version of the level of comfort they now enjoy – preferably in the same neighbourhood.
The concept of a retirement village is not on their agenda, but the boomers haven’t really thought through their ongoing needs. Likewise, developers are not seriously addressing the key issues involved.
Unlike their parents, who generally left their downsizing until their frailest years, Baby Boomers will make their move while they are still fit. And they will probably not plan to move again.
The baby boomers’ relative fitness (or perhaps being in denial about growing old) that will cause them to choose their new home, while paying scant regard to becoming less mobile or becoming suddenly lonely when one partner dies.
Therefore, in order for their new downsized home to have enduring value, baby boomers need to pay close attention to both their physical and community needs.
While this may represent quite a challenge it also provides a fruitful niche market for the astute developer.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a target="_blank" title="Chris Lang's blog" href="https://his-best.biz/">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Baby boomers: Sell now or forever hold your family home

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.

Joel Robinson

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

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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.

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Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

A collection of just 25 large-format apartments and penthouses overlooking Goodwin Park is entering the Coolangatta market, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marea-residences-coolangatta-27-27a-dixon-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Maréa Residences</a> combining a low-density, residential-only approach with uninterrupted park and Pacific Ocean outlooks.

Located at 27 Dixon Street, Maréa comprises three and four-bedroom residences alongside a limited number of dual-level penthouses, with the project positioned between Goodwin Park and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/coolangatta-qld-4225">Coolangatta</a>’s coastal precinct.

Construction has commenced, with completion currently estimated for late 2027. Three-bedroom residences are priced from $1.8 million.

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The project has been designed around its northern outlook across the park, with the building’s architecture, landscaping and material palette intended to establish a connection with the neighbouring green space. The residences have been configured to maximise natural light and views across Goodwin Park towards the ocean.

Inside, the material palette incorporates timber, stone and brushed brass, complemented by curved detailing and ambient lighting. Kitchens and bathrooms carry the same natural material approach, while residences also include basement parking, storage and lift access.

Maréa’s penthouses are arranged over two levels and include private pools, adding another layer to the project’s focus on larger-format apartment living. Across the development, residences are configured with three or four bedrooms rather than the broader mix of smaller apartment types commonly found in larger projects.

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Resident amenity is concentrated at rooftop level, where landscaped entertaining terraces and pools take advantage of elevated views across Coolangatta and the Pacific Ocean.

The project has so far been particularly well received by local owner-occupiers and downsizers, according to Urban Activation Property Sales and Marketing Director Matt George, with the residential-only format, construction quality and northern park outlook among the features resonating with purchasers.

“The uninterrupted northern aspect overlooking Goodwin Park has been a key point of difference, with buyers attracted to the sense of serenity and open space the park provides, while still enjoying easy access to the ocean and being within walking distance of the lifestyle and amenities Coolangatta has to offer,” George said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374002]

“The combination of high-quality construction, a residential-only building, park outlook and proximity to the beach has resonated strongly with the local downsizer market.”

The Dixon Street address is within walking distance of Coolangatta Beach and the broader southern Gold Coast coastline, including the surf breaks at Snapper Rocks and Kirra. Coolangatta’s cafés, restaurants and retail are nearby, while Gold Coast Airport is also within close proximity.

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Maréa Residences brings parkside apartments to Coolangatta

Melbourne developer PDG has secured Victorian Government approval for its $1.5 billion Southbank development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-one-1-queens-bridge-street-southbank-vic-3006">The One</a>, clearing the way for the long-dormant riverfront site opposite Crown to finally be developed.

The Minister for Planning has approved the project at 1-29 Queens Bridge Street, with the Department of Transport and Planning issuing the planning permit following its assessment.

The approval will allow PDG to develop the prominent 5,059 sqm site with a major mixed-use tower comprising premium apartments, including branded residences, a luxury hotel and boutique office space.

PDG acquired the site in late 2024, with its position directly opposite Crown's main entrance and near Melbourne's Arts Precinct making it one of Southbank's most significant remaining development opportunities.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3933013e-6332-4386-b9be-089df05caf17" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.22%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sITIgBqDL0N3VNSMwWEmF5UA.uvcsRyu" />

Designed by COX in collaboration with ODO and PDG, the tower's architecture draws on the movement of the Yarra River, with six vertical pleats running the height of the sculpted facade.

The project will also see the heritage-listed Queens Bridge Hotel restored and incorporated into the development&nbsp;with new hospitality and public uses, including a rooftop venue.

A significant component of The One will be its residential amenity.

More than 5,000 sqm of resident facilities will be delivered across a single level, making it one of the largest consolidated residential amenity offerings proposed in an Australian apartment development.

The planning approval also incorporates a major upgrade of Queensbridge Square, which PDG will deliver in partnership with the City of Melbourne.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73167fcd-1031-4b6f-a408-a064cfe45ed1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.17%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Pf1AEWxw6SNmBqR0zQW5lyEze.MtxgFp" />

The existing square will be revitalised as a new civic and pedestrian space along the Yarra River, strengthening the connection between the project, Southbank and the riverfront.

PDG Founder and Managing Director Vince Giuliano said the approval represented a major milestone for a site which has remained largely underutilised for more than 15 years.

“This is the most significant Planning Permit approval Melbourne has seen in recent years,” Giuliano said.

“For more than 15 years, this site has remained underutilised. This approval enables us to deliver a project that will contribute meaningfully to the revitalisation of Southbank, restore and reactivate an important heritage building, and create a new civic and hospitality destination for Melbourne.”

The latest approval follows an earlier planning permit issued by the City of Melbourne covering demolition works across part of the site at 9-29 Queens Bridge Street. Those demolition and early works are already underway.

PDG has also started generating early interest in the residential component from owner-occupiers ahead of a planned public launch in early 2027.

PDG secures approval for $1.5bn Southbank apartment development, The One

Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

Chris Lang

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