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The year 2012 is moving into the rear view mirror.
With only five auction weekends to go this year, the necessity for good negotiation becomes paramount. With another 69% clearance rate from 733 auctions that were listed by the REIV and over 3,000 auctions listed for the next three weekends, vendors and purchasers will be frantic to do deals.
If clearance rates continue around 60% then in the next three weeks 40% of 3,000 properties will still be sitting on the market in the run-up to Christmas. Some 1,200 vendors will want to have their properties sold before relaxing through the Christmas hiatus. And it is up to the selling agents to assist the vendors to make this happen.
But too many agents are still massively overquoting vendors then low-quoting to prospective purchasers. It is not too difficult for professional buying agents to work out property values and have a very good idea where the auction will finish up. It really doesn’t matter to us where the agent quotes because we can use comparable sales data to get a very good idea of where the bidding will end up. We have heard from some selling agents that reserves should be published prior to auction. This is all well and good if they are accurate to what the final outcome of the auction will be. We have heard from plenty of selling agents who say that low quoting is necessary to bring plenty of people to the auction. But this usually annoys the inexperienced or those who are not getting professional counsel from a buying agent.
Neither of these situations is of any real issue if the vendor is selling at a realistic price. The single biggest problem in the Melbourne Real estate market is when agents let vendors dictate reserve. I know the vendor has the right to sell at whatever price they want and I know they can withdraw the property from market if they wish, but when prospective purchasers expend money on legal, building and pest inspections when the vendor wants 10% over market value and the selling agent does not advertise this, it is grossly unfair.
 
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When excellent comparable sales data indicates the price point of a property as around $700,000 give or take $25,000, even if the agent quotes in the $600,000 range it doesn’t usually matter too much. Come auction if it is a good property it will have multiple interest and the bidding should get into the high $600,000s or low $700,000s and well within the target range of value for the vendor.
The problem occurs when the vendor wants $800,000 for the property.
This means the vendor either has extremely bad counsel from the selling agent, the selling agent has overquoted the property’s value in order to get the listing or the vendor was not really serious about selling their property. Unfortunately, it is usually one of the first two reasons.
Consumer Affairs should step in to protect both the vendor and buyer. If the agents’ appraisal is more than 10% from the vendor’s reserve either publish the reserve at the beginning of the campaign or if the property does not sell at auction reimburse prospective purchasers for their time and expenditure on purchasing the property. Most professional real estate agents who are competent will know what a property is genuinely worth. There will always be a little low-quoting, but value is value and if the vendor wants well above the market value the agent should have a responsibility to let every prospective purchaser know before they expend time and money on due diligence.
Over the next five weeks we will see more and more of this issue and it will be exaggerated as we get closer to the Christmas slowdown. Agents who are desperate for listings may have been “buying the listing” (telling vendors they will get more for their home than it is truly worth), and when the agent comes up short at the auction, they should be held accountable. After the auction, there is no reason why the compulsory appraisal that the agent did for the vendor should not be published for all passed-in properties. If the reserve set by the vendor is more than 10% above this number then this should be seen as unreasonable for prospective purchasers. The prospective purchasers should be able to make a claim against the agent or vendor marketing the property.
Ian James is director of <a target="_blank" title="JPP" href="https://www.jpp.com.au">JPP Buyer Advocates</a> – the largest dedicated buyer advocacy in Melbourne. With extensive experience in all matters regarding real estate, JPP successfully purchases and negotiate more than $100 million worth of property each year for clients.
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Unrealistic vendor hopes the single biggest problem in Melbourne real estate market: Ian James

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There was a significant change to Victorian law that came into force on March 1. In Victoria, buyers of property who sign a contract of sale have three clear business days with which to withdraw from the contract for any reason they choose. There were a few exceptions to this rule, the main two as far as the average buyer was concerned were: if you signed the contract of sale within three business days either before or after a publically advertised auction or if you had received advice from a legal practitioner before signing the contract. The latter no longer is in force.
You can now receive legal advice prior to signing the contract and you still have your cooling-off period. Even though I only work for buyers, this change to the law doesn’t necessarily help us. It removes the possibility of finality. It makes it impossible to offer a good deal that gives the vendor surety. We have made many deals happen specifically because of this. The three-day cooling-off period was designed to allow those purchasers who signed a contract without legal advice time to get someone to look over the deal they had made. It is now designed to allow people to change their minds.
There is one benefit that I can see for the prospective purchaser. Many times we have decided to buy with a condition subject to pest and building inspection and to soften the condition we agree to get the inspections within the three-day cooling-off period. To do this means we couldn’t in the past get legal advice prior to signing the contract: now we can.
This has significantly changed the negotiation landscape for buying property. If a selling agent wanted to do a deal before an auction, he or she would normally only take an offer if the purchaser had received legal advice. In other words, the offer was unconditional. That means they could call around to other interested parties and say, “We have received an offer that will buy the property prior to auction. If you wish to purchase the property please have your offer in by 5pm today.” They would normally give a fairly close indication as to the offer, in order to push up anyone else. They knew if they didn’t get any better offers they had the property sold regardless. This scenario is similar to a “boardroom auction”
With the change to the law on March 1st this year, this is no longer an option for selling agents. Boardroom auctions are no longer viable as they are not final (the offer would have a three-day cooling-off period). Sale by set date, tender and expressions-of-interest campaigns will no longer work as they were intended. These offers usually state that the purchaser must have attained legal advice prior to submitting an offer, thereby making all offers received unconditional. This is now no longer the case.
Even offers within the auction campaign will prove difficult. For example, an agent is given a very good offer on the Tuesday before a Saturday auction. If he takes it and lets all other interested parties know he has an offer that dramatically exceeds the range and will be accepted by the vendor if no better offer is received, he runs the risk of scaring off all the other contenders, albeit at a lower number, while he has to wait until Friday night to see if the purchaser cools off. If he doesn’t take the offer and this purchaser does not attend the auction, he may have made a substantial error for his client.
I can’t wait for someone to challenge the definition of a publically advertised auction. Can a publically advertised auction be “advertised” on the internet for today at 4? I am unsure of what the length of time needs to be before an auction is deemed “publically advertised”. If there is no time frame, can an agent who knows he is going to get an offer at 2.30pm advertise the property on the internet at 1pm that the property will be for public auction at 5pm on the same day and therefore avoid the cooling-off period?
The most interesting issue in this change and would probably come under the rule of unintended consequences is the fact that real estate agents now have an advantage over all others who put offers on properties outside the auction period. There offers will be unconditional and therefore if the numbers and terms are the same, better than someone else who has a three-day cooling-off period.
Ian James is director of <a target="_blank" title="JPP" href="https://www.jpp.com.au">JPP Buyer Advocates</a> – the largest dedicated buyer advocacy in Melbourne. With extensive experience in all matters regarding real estate, JPP successfully purchases and negotiate more than $100 million worth of property each year for clients.
 
 
 
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New Victorian cooling-off rules could hurt vendors and agents

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I was listening to the radio on my way home on Saturday evening and heard a presenter and a town planner talking about real estate in Melbourne. A caller had asked a question of the two regarding what the “plus” meant when an advertised property was quoted $490,000 plus. The caller was looking at a property in Mitcham, on about 750 square metres, and was thinking about buying it in order to subdivide and develop. 

The town planner talked about due diligence, which was all good and well. He gave advice similar to: Talk to the council to work out whether the area can be developed, and into what. Is it an area that will allow for high density, etc. All very good advice! He did eventually get around to talking about the “plus” as being up to or more than 20%, however he also said he didn’t put too much stock in what the agent said. It was really worth what others will pay. 

There are four main parts to buying property in Victoria: working out what your needs are, searching and identifying possible properties, assessing target properties accurately and finally successfully negotiating the sale. 

Today we will talk about assessment, which is really what the caller was asking the town planner to do without even seeing the property. There are many options when it comes to assessing a property for sale. 

Many people will say to look at the papers or buy information online to get sales results. This is fine if all the sales in the area were auctions. In the state of Victoria, resellers of real estate information cannot identify the private listing past street and suburb. Numbers are not supplied. So, if you know that a property sold in Smith Street for $800,000 and another sold for $400,000 you still do not know what the difference is. 

You can do this if you are diligent. You must physically take note of every sale. If you are looking to buy in “Smith Street” then you need to look at every property that is on the market and when it sells and try to identify the property, then it becomes useful. You need to look at every paper, every website and all the online sellers of information. This will still only give you some idea, as historical sales over the last two years will be difficult to gauge without street numbers. But it can be done. It is extremely time-consuming and tedious. But if you have three to six months to build up a local database then it will be useful. 

The actual sales price is only the first step. You need to visit as many of these properties as possible. You need to segregate your data into properties that have valuable houses on them, properties that have recently renovated houses and properties that have houses with renovation options. 

You then need to look at individual land sizes. Is there a development option? Is there an option to rebuild a new home or renovate the existing home while subdividing the block? Is it a corner block that is easier to renovate? What you are trying to do is calculate whether a property was sold for “land value” or whether there was some additional value in the house. 

When there is some additional value in the house you need to look at how many bedrooms and bathrooms, car accommodation, quality of fixtures and fittings, particularly in the bathroom and kitchen. How big are the individual bedrooms, is there a flow to an open-floor plan, or is it a compartmentalised rabbit warren? 

You need to look at these questions with each individual style of property in mind. If we are looking at a Victorian home, we know that the bedrooms will be of good size, at least three metres by three metres. The ceiling heights will vary from three to four metres, and if there has been little renovation the bathroom will be at the back of the house and the kitchen in the middle because this is how they were added over time. 

A structurally renovated Victorian home should have the bedrooms at the front, followed by bathroom and hopefully ensuite, then the kitchen and an open-plan living zone leading directly on to the outdoor entertainment area. 

However, you would not expect a 1970s “estate-style” home to be set up this way. In fact, the main bedroom is usually near the front, with the others to the rear. A big house might have an L-shaped lounge/dining room with a large central kitchen. Unfortunately, these houses usually have limited rear access unless a further rumpus room has been added and then it would be good to see the outdoor entertainment area run off this. 

Finally, you need to put all this together to try and guesstimate what someone else is likely to pay. 

If you do not know what someone else is likely to pay then you will waste almost a month of your time and effort waiting for the auction, waste money getting pest and or building inspections done, waste money getting the contracts checked by a solicitor and then when auction day comes around and the auctioneer is calling for opening bids and you have a figure in mind, you won’t know whether your figure is in the right ballpark. 

You cannot use the agents estimate to work out what a property is worth. The “plus” does not mean 10% or 20%. When a range is quoted it does not mean the reserve is within these numbers. The selling agent does not need to, and actually cannot give you, any assistance that would be seen to be to the detriment of getting the highest possible sale price for his client – the vendor. Some agents will quote high and try to negotiate from this point; others quote low and will try to push up a potential purchaser. Your best negotiation tool is to have an accurate appraisal of what someone else is likely to pay: i.e., your competition. 

When it comes to purchasing a property there are actually three numbers we need to calculate or guesstimate. What is it worth to us? In other words how much are we happy to pay for this particular property. Secondly, what is it worth to someone else? In other words, what is likely to happen on auction day? And thirdly, and by far the most difficult, what does the vendor want! 

Once we have these numbers we can then begin to set up a buying strategy. We will talk about different buying strategies at another time. You can get an accurate assessment of a property from an experienced and licensed buyers’ advocate or a valuer. You need to engage them and pay them in order to guarantee they are working for you. 
Ian James is director of <a target="_blank" title="JPP" href="https://www.jpp.com.au">JPP Buyer Advocates</a> – the largest dedicated buyer advocacy in Melbourne. With extensive experience in all matters regarding real estate, JPP successfully purchases and negotiate more than $100 million worth of property each year for clients.
 
 
 
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How to properly assess property values

Design-led developer-builder Lowe Living has unveiled its latest residential development, Jardin House, marking its first foray into Melbourne's blue-chip City of Boroondara.

Located a short walk from Camberwell Junction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/jardin-house-by-lowe-living-camberwell-335-camberwell-road-camberwell-vic-3124">Jardin House</a> has been designed to appeal to affluent local downsizers and established families seeking a low-maintenance alternative to the large homes that have long defined Camberwell and surrounding suburbs.

The project will comprise a collection of two and three-bedroom apartments ranging from 92 sqm to 280 sqm, alongside a limited number of penthouse residences featuring rooftop terraces spanning more than 100 sqm, with optional private pools.

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Lowe Living Co-Founder and Managing Director Tim Lowe said Camberwell represented a natural next step for the developer as it expands into some of Melbourne's most tightly held residential markets.

"Jardin House is an important project for our team as it marks the next evolution of our portfolio into different well-established blue-chip pockets of Melbourne," Lowe said.

"Camberwell, with its incredible walkability, family-led neighbourhood feel and superb access to education and transport, makes it a natural choice for us."

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Designed by Tristan Wong Architects, with interiors by Hecker Guthrie and landscaping by Acre, the development takes inspiration from the Art Deco architecture that remains a defining feature of many of Camberwell's established streets.

A curved facade, arched openings, textured brickwork and sculpted forms reference the suburb's architectural heritage, while extensive landscaping softens the building's presence and creates a strong connection to the surrounding tree-lined streetscape.

The project will be set behind a secure gated entrance, with residents arriving through landscaped gardens designed to create a transition between the public realm and private residences.

Inside, the residences feature natural stone and timber finishes, full-height glazing, Miele appliances and generous open-plan living areas designed for long-term owner occupation.

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While the apartments themselves have been designed to attract discerning owner-occupiers, it is the amenity offering that sets Jardin House apart from many other boutique projects currently launching across Melbourne.

The centrepiece is a 350 sqm private bathhouse curated in partnership with Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse founder Lyndall Mitchell.

The wellness precinct includes mineral pools, hydrotherapy experiences, a Himalayan salt room, sauna, steam room, cold plunge pools and dedicated relaxation spaces, creating what Lowe Living describes as a private wellness retreat exclusively for residents.

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The collaboration follows Lowe Living's recent partnership with Aurora at Maison Savoy in Brighton, although Jardin House is the first project to incorporate both indoor and outdoor wellness experiences.

Emma Lowe, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lowe Living, said wellness was becoming an increasingly important consideration for apartment buyers.

"Collaborating with Lyndall Mitchell from Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse for a second time is an intentional nod to creating residences that are more than just homes, but a way to enrich the lives of our residents through wellness and longevity," Lowe said.

The amenity offering is complemented by a Technogym fitness studio, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and concierge services.

The launch comes as developers increasingly target Melbourne's established eastern suburbs, where rising land values, ageing housing stock and growing downsizer demand are creating opportunities for boutique apartment projects.

Lowe said the company expects significant generational wealth transfer across suburbs such as Camberwell in coming years, creating further demand for luxury apartment living.

"Camberwell is a blue-chip suburb where homes regularly transact for multiple millions of dollars," he said.

"The generational change of wealth in these locations expected in the coming years is significant, so we see an opportunity to create exclusive residences that appeal to older families and downsizers in order to meet this demand."

Apartments at Jardin house start from $1,195,000. The project forms part of Lowe Living's near-$1 billion portfolio of new developments across Melbourne.

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Joel Robinson

Lowe Living launches Jardin House in Camberwell

As <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/north-sydney-nsw-2060">North Sydney</a> continues its transition from a commercial centre into a more layered residential and lifestyle precinct, a new generation of apartment developments is reshaping expectations around scale, amenity, and long-term liveability.

Improved transport connections through the Victoria Cross Metro, continued investment in dining and public spaces, and a constrained supply of new luxury apartments have sharpened demand for homes that combine proximity to the CBD with the privacy and outlook traditionally associated with harbourside houses.

At 177 Walker Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a>’s new apartment development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> enters the market with a distinctly residential approach to high-rise living. The 30-level tower will deliver 161 residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to sub-penthouses and a full-floor penthouse, all oriented to capture uninterrupted views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, and out toward the Pacific Ocean.

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, the project takes advantage of the site’s natural topography and elevated position above the harbour. Rather than relying on density alone, the architecture focuses on outlook, orientation, and spatial flow, with every apartment occupying a corner position to maximise natural light and cross ventilation.

Rothelowman says the site itself shaped much of the architectural response.

“The site has a long history in terms of its inevitable transformation and when we came in, we took inspiration from the idea of reestablishing a sense of the site’s natural terrain and fall. Our scheme aims to integrate with the terrain and the landscape, using the undulating site to slowly reveal glimpses and views of the harbour. The rotation of the tower off grid means every apartment has a view and is naturally cross ventilated. The building's colour palette is quintessentially Sydney, with bronze and sandstone and a luminescent green colour in the glass, making it very earthy and grounded in its location.”

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Inside the residences, the emphasis moves toward larger-format living typically associated with standalone homes. Kitchens sit at the centre of the apartments, connecting directly to open-plan dining and living areas before extending outward into expansive winter gardens and balconies. Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, integrated appliances, and custom metal detailing are used throughout, while three distinct interior palettes, Terrace, Opera, and Harbour, allow buyers to personalise the spaces without compromising the architectural consistency of the project.

The larger residences place particular attention on separation between entertaining and private zones. In many apartments, master suites occupy the outer corners of the floorplates, allowing bedrooms to benefit from floor-to-ceiling glazing and harbour outlooks independent of the living spaces. Dressing rooms and ensuites continue the material palette through fluted detailing, freestanding baths, and layered stone finishes.

Rothelowman says the design intent centred on creating homes that feel enduring rather than transient.

“Our philosophy is all about the way people live in these spaces, and we wanted to create homes that reflect the quality of life in this unique Sydney location. The apartments showcase expansive living spaces that are generous, sophisticated, and bold, with the ability to connect with views throughout each apartment.”

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A separate four-storey amenity building known as The Pavilion expands the residential offering beyond the apartments themselves. Positioned alongside the tower, the building consolidates wellness, recreation, and social spaces into a dedicated resident retreat. Facilities include a 20-metre rooftop pool and sundeck, sauna, spa, ice bath, wellness studio, gymnasium, concierge service, wine cellar, residents’ lounge, private dining spaces, and dedicated co-working areas with meeting rooms and boardroom facilities.

The amenity mix reflects the buyer profile emerging in North Sydney, where owner-occupiers and downsizers are increasingly prioritising convenience, apartment scale, and long-term usability over purely investment-driven decisions.

The Walden also represents a significant milestone for ALAND, marking the company’s first major move into Sydney’s inner-city luxury apartment market after more than two decades delivering large-scale residential communities across Greater Sydney. Founder Andrew Hrsto says the Walker Street site stood apart because of both its positioning and its rarity.

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“As a company, we had been searching for a site in one of Sydney’s blue-chip locations, spanning the Eastern Suburbs, the Sydney CBD and the North Shore, and when we had the opportunity to purchase this site, we immediately recognised that it could be something iconic.”

At launch, The Walden recorded more than $103 million in sales, with buyers drawn to the project’s harbour positioning, apartment scale, and proximity to the Metro, which now connects North Sydney to Barangaroo in three minutes and Martin Place in five.

ALAND has commenced construction, and is expecting a completion date in 2028.

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The Walden pairs house-scale living with North Sydney connectivity

The ACT will become the first jurisdiction in Australia to abolish stamp duty for all first home buyers, with no income caps and no property price thresholds from 1 July.

The move, announced as part of the ACT Budget, completes a key election commitment from the Barr Government and removes what Chief Minister Andrew Barr described as one of the biggest barriers to entering the housing market. The reform forms part of the ACT's long-running transition away from transaction taxes and towards a broader-based property tax system.

"This budget marks a major milestone in our long-term tax reform program," Barr said, adding that the government had maintained a sustained focus on removing barriers to home ownership. He said stamp duty had long been one of the largest upfront hurdles facing buyers and that from July, "that barrier is gone" for first home buyers in the Territory.

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The changes come alongside a range of measures designed to encourage new housing supply, including support for the delivery of so-called "missing middle" housing such as terraces, townhouses and low-rise multi-unit developments.

The announcement has renewed debate around whether the ACT's approach could provide a blueprint for improving housing affordability nationally.

New research from OurTop10.com.au, conducted by Primara Research, suggests the Territory's decade-long reform agenda has produced outcomes unmatched elsewhere in Australia.

While stamp duty costs have increased by an average 67 per cent nationally over the past decade, the ACT has recorded growth of just 15 per cent, the lowest increase of any jurisdiction.

The Territory has also emerged as one of the strongest performers on housing delivery. Based on population-weighted housing targets, the ACT is sitting less than one per cent behind its target. Victoria is the next closest at seven per cent behind, while the national average sits 25 per cent below target. New South Wales is tracking 39 per cent behind.

The latest reform removes one of the final barriers facing first home buyers in Canberra.

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The average Australian home buyer currently pays $61,714 in stamp duty. In the ACT, that figure is $38,399 despite the Territory having the third-highest median house price in the country.

Until now, the ACT's first home buyer concession scheme only applied to purchases up to $1.02 million, around $51,000 below Canberra's median house price of $1.071 million. In practical terms, many first home buyers were unable to access the median-priced home without losing the concession.

From July, those restrictions disappear.

Every first home buyer in the ACT will pay no stamp duty, regardless of income or purchase price.

Canberra remains one of Australia's most expensive housing markets, with dwelling values increasing 82 per cent over the past decade. However, that growth ranks only 11th among Australia's 15 major housing markets, suggesting affordability pressures have been less severe than in many other parts of the country.

Simon Ma, CEO of OurTop10.com.au, said the latest reforms recognise that many first home buyers have simply outgrown thresholds set years ago.

"Many first home buyers aren't just looking for a way onto the ladder, they want a home their family can actually live in," Ma said.

"In a market where the median house price is over a million dollars, a concession scheme that cuts out at $1.02 million was never going to get them there.

"Removing the ceiling entirely means ACT first home buyers can now pursue the home they actually want, rather than limiting themselves to a price point designed for a very different market."

Whether other states follow remains to be seen. But at a time when most jurisdictions are struggling to improve affordability while also increasing housing supply, the ACT has quietly become the national test case for both.

15% stamp duty growth. Just 1% off the national housing target. Zero stamp duty for FHBs. Is the ACT the blueprint for the great Australian dream?

ACT abolishes stamp duty for first home buyers

A rooftop pool and spa overlooking the Brisbane CBD, private dining spaces, expansive landscaped gardens and a residents' lounge are set to crown <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/callista-on-park-west-end-49-mollison-street-west-end-qld-4101">Callista on Park</a>, the final residential building within Brisbane's West Village precinct.

The rooftop amenity collection has been designed as an extension of the lifestyle already established throughout West Village, providing residents with a series of indoor and outdoor spaces that capitalise on the building's elevated position above West End.

A swimming pool and heated spa form the centrepiece of the rooftop offering, surrounded by landscaped gardens developed through a collaboration between developer Sekisui House and ASPECT Studios. The design incorporates expansive lawn areas surrounded by English garden-inspired planting.

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Residents will also have access to two barbecue and outdoor dining areas positioned to take advantage of views across Brisbane's skyline, neighbouring Mollison Park, and the surrounding inner-city landscape.

For larger gatherings, the rooftop includes a private dining room centred around a substantial stone island bench, complete with a full kitchen and a 10-seat dining table set beneath four-metre-high ceilings. The space has been designed to overlook both the rooftop gardens and the Brisbane CBD skyline.

A separate residents' lounge provides an additional indoor retreat connected to the broader rooftop amenity offering, creating another space for residents to work, relax or entertain guests.

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The attention to detail extends beyond the rooftop.

Upon arrival, residents will enter through a lobby featuring a bespoke ceiling light installation developed in collaboration between Sekisui House and Alcorn Middleton Architecture. The arrival experience is complemented by private resident mailboxes and carefully considered interior finishes designed to reflect the premium positioning of the building.

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The amenity offering forms part of Callista on Park, the final residential release within the decade-long transformation of the former Peters Ice Cream Factory site into West Village, one of Brisbane's most established mixed-use communities.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hutchinson-builders">Hutchinson Builders</a>, Callista represents the most premium residential offering within the masterplanned precinct.

Construction is now entering its final stages, with scaffolding beginning to come down and completion expected in the first quarter of 2027.

Prices for the three-bedroom plus MPR apartments start from just over $2.6 million.

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Callista will mark the final opportunity to purchase within West Village, where residents have direct access to more than 35 retail, dining, wellness and medical operators including Harris Farm Markets, Woolworths, Function Well and Goodlife Health Clubs, Metro Arts, and a growing collection of restaurants and cafés.

Located just 800 metres from the Brisbane CBD, the precinct also places residents within walking distance of South Bank, West End's dining scene, riverfront parklands and major public transport connections.

For Sekisui House, which has delivered more than two million homes globally, Callista serves as the concluding piece of the West Village masterplan, bringing together the precinct's heritage character, parkland setting and emphasis on walkability in a final collection of larger-format residences.

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Rooftop pool, private dining and skyline gardens to crown West Village's final apartment release, Callista on Park

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/wahroonga-nsw-2076">Wahroonga</a>’s enduring appeal has long been tied to its balance of bushland, established amenity, and access to some of Sydney’s most respected education and healthcare institutions.

Along Fox Valley Road, that combination is becoming increasingly sought after by buyers looking to remain connected to the Upper North Shore lifestyle while prioritising walkability, wellbeing, and convenience.

Developer Capital Corporation's initial vision of a 62-hectare site on Fox Valley Road was that they could create their own walkable community, bordered by&nbsp;more than 25 hectares of bushland and adjoining Coups Creek.

<img alt="Wahroonga" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b84917a1-0d75-49b9-888c-ddf7ebfd6692" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/NEW2026_Wahroonga_Walkway.gif?VersionId=Gk3_xi5ssYfalmwuQQ5umQakddceC31j" />

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-residences-at-wahroonga-estate-169-fox-valley-road-wahroonga-nsw-2076">The Residences at Wahroonga Estate</a> draws directly on the area’s natural landscape, with walking trails and green corridors linking into sections of Lane Cove National Park. The surrounding network of bushwalks, cycling tracks, and reserves reinforces the suburb’s long-standing reputation as one of Sydney’s most nature-oriented residential pockets, while still maintaining close ties to village retail and transport infrastructure.

The address places residents within minutes of Wahroonga and Turramurra villages, where cafés, local grocers, boutiques, and everyday services support a highly localised lifestyle. Popular nearby venues including The Fox Café and Breeze Valley Café provide easy options for morning coffee or casual dining, while longstanding retailers such as IGA Wahroonga Fresh and Novella Fine Books continue to anchor the area’s village character.

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<img alt="Wahroonga" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c4a950f7-4f05-4370-b360-b106359788e5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/2026_Wahroonga_Entry_Gates.gif?VersionId=7n5kh9ymu.azYEYDemJkPgiIAfSw44oj" />

Healthcare access remains one of the defining locational advantages of the estate. Sydney Adventist Hospital, known locally as The San, sits directly adjacent and is one of the largest and most respected private hospitals in New South Wales. The hospital precinct incorporates specialist medical services, radiology, physiotherapy, and outpatient care, contributing to growing buyer demand from downsizers and owner-occupiers seeking long-term convenience and peace of mind.

Research commissioned by Capital Corporation found that health and wellbeing considerations are increasingly influencing downsizing decisions, particularly among buyers wanting to remain within familiar neighbourhoods while accessing medical infrastructure more easily.

Education has also historically underpinned demand across Wahroonga and the broader Upper North Shore. The estate sits close to several of Sydney’s leading private and independent schools, including Knox Grammar, Abbotsleigh, Barker College, Pymble Ladies’ College, Ravenswood School for Girls, and Loreto Normanhurst. Co-educational options including Wahroonga Adventist School and Sydney Adventist School further strengthen the area’s appeal to established families looking for long-term schooling pathways within a tightly held catchment.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135247 project_image_fid=262183]

Transport connectivity supports the suburb’s liveability without compromising its quieter residential character. Wahroonga and Turramurra train stations provide direct rail access into the Sydney CBD, while the nearby Pacific Highway and M1 motorway strengthen links across the North Shore and broader metropolitan area. At the same time, the heavily treed streetscape and low-density character continue to distinguish the precinct from more urbanised parts of Sydney.

The Residences at Wahroonga Estate forms the first stage of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/capital-corporation">Capital Corporation</a>’s broader masterplanned vision for the precinct, delivered alongside the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135247 project_image_fid=364995]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/group-gsa">GroupGSA</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/coco-republic-interior-design">Coco Republic</a>, the development integrates landscaped communal spaces including a pet-friendly Green Spine, resident lounge, BBQ pavilion, and direct bushland access, reinforcing the project’s focus on outdoor connection and community-based living.

Now under construction by Gold Star iCIRT-rated builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/dasco-australia">DASCO</a>, The Residences at Wahroonga Estate will deliver a collection of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments priced from $990,000, with completion anticipated in 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135247]

Ian James

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