<html><body>
Money Magazine has given loans.com.au the title of the Best Cheapest Home Loan and the Cheapest Flexible Home Loan for non-banks in 2015.
Last year saw loans.com.au take out the Best Cheapest Home Loan award as well, and this year’s broadening of the flexible category to non-banks allowed the lender to compete, explained Kim Cannon, managing director of loans.com.au’s Firstmac.
Dream Home Loan is loans.com.au’s flagship product that took out the awards. It has a 100% offset and free redraw at a rate of 4.48% (comparison 4.50%) to 90% LVR. It also offers a value pack with a $150 conveyancing voucher, financial planning up to $500, property reports and a Loan Tracker service.
“Loans.com.au has seen strong growth in the number of customers who are keen to do their own research to identify the best home loan product for them, and they are more empowered in the application process,” Cannon said.
“They make an informed choice to have more input into the application process by following through on their internet research and applying for their home loan online.”
He said that increasingly borrowers are looking to do their home loan applications online in a paperless process due to working hours, and then fill out necessary forms during lunch hour at a branch.
“A streamlined application with online tools to track each step of the process is far more appealing to smart, busy, borrowers than having to call the bank and check whether the application has progressed, or make an appointment to fit into someone else’s schedule.”
</body></html>

jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

The lowest cost non-bank loan available for 2015 announced

<html><body>
In six capital cities across Australia, Herron Todd White has noted that new houses are being sold ‘occasionally’ at higher prices than their potential re-sale value.
Digging deeper, however, are some important results for new property buyers across other markets.
Houses in Queensland’s Gladstone, Mackay and the Gold Coast were given a ‘very frequently’ indicator, while in Gladstone it was noted as being the case ‘almost always’.
Ipswich and Toowoomba were also given a ‘frequently’ rating for both units and houses.
Units in the Gold Coast were given an ‘almost always’ rating, while Mackay was recorded as ‘very frequently’ having the potential to sell for less than they were bought for.
The Month in Review report for December 2014 noted that just two states escaped this factor, with Perth and Canberra given an ‘almost never’ rating.
While none of these have changed from the previous month in October 2014, Perth was given a ‘very frequently’ label for this factor, while for Sydney it was noted that this happened ‘frequently’. All other capitals remained the same.
For units, however, Sydney scored a ‘frequently’ rating, while the other capitals saw no differentiation between houses and units in the overall results.
It was also labelled as frequently in Wollongong and ‘very frequently’ in Newcastle.
Across both Victoria and Tasmania, only Horsham saw a ‘frequently’ mention – this was for both houses and units. Most other areas for units and houses were said to be ‘occcasionally’ seeing this happen.
</body></html>

New Gladstone houses and Gold Coast units ‘almost always’ purchased for more than potential re-sale

<html><body>
Sydney’s residential market has experienced substantial growth over the past 12 months and for Western Sydney, in particular, this is expected to continue, according to latest December 2014 report from Herron Todd White.
Considering properties under $1 million, the clear expectation is for growth in the lower priced brackets to continue unabated. Earlier this year, their report signalled that they expected a cooling towards the end of the year if interest rates increased. As no rate increase eventuated, growth has continued.
The main drivers that continue to push the market include high demand, limited stock and low interest rates. Herron Todd White point to local indicators such as long lines at open homes and camp outs to secure land releases in some areas.
They note this has been particularly evident in Sydney’s fringe suburbs, from Camden to Blacktown’s The Ponds – which was <a href="/expert-insights/building/most-successful-masterplanned-project-in-nsw-history-sells-out-the-ponds">yesterday reported as the fastest selling Masterplanned estate in New South Wales history</a>.
Their lower priced areas of note include:
<ul>
<li><a href="/news">Seven Hills</a></li>
<li><a href="/news">Oran Park</a></li>
<li><a href="/news">Gregory Hills</a></li>
<li><a href="/news">Leppington</a></li>
</ul>
The construction of a second Sydney airport at Badgerys Creek, the south-west railway and associated employment are expected to drive demand.
 “The supply of land is controlled by developers and they will continue to monitor supply and demand to ensure the continued success of their estates,” the report notes.
Slightly higher, but worthwhile considerations when looking at $700,000 to $1 million property, include:
<ul>
<li><a href="/news">North Rocks</a></li>
<li><a href="/news">Cherrybrook</a></li>
<li><a href="/news">Castle Hill</a></li>
</ul>
All three of these higher priced areas have been strong performers this year.
</body></html>

The sub-$1 million Sydney areas expected to perform: Herron Todd White

<html><body>
Strong demand is behind Byron Bay’s resurgence following a problematic post-GFC environment, according to McGrath Byron Bay’s Nick Dunn.
High demand and tight supply are fuelling price growth in the area, with Dunn noting that the enquiry level from buyers has risen “dramatically” and spells good things for the property market’s future.
“We are seeing multiple prospective buyers interested in a property, which in turn is driving the marketplace,” he said.
Dunn notes that both local buyers and sea changers from Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney are driving the demand.
The average days on market has dropped to 40 to 45 days, as opposed to 90 to 120 days just a few years prior. Rental returns of up to 5.5% gross yield are available, which may see investors turn to the area soon.
“Property in this market can be neutrally to positively geared, so it can be a set and forget scenario which works well for investors,” Dunn said.
The market may be driven by retirees, as well as by new development – with Unison Projects’ Seacliffs being the recent first residential subdivision in almost 15 years, bring 33 new lots to the market from $485,000.
{mijopolls 68}
</body></html>

Is the Byron Bay market rebounding?

<html><body>
When you head to an auction, if you aren’t the top bidder you are, by definition, the ‘underbidder’.
Usually reserved as a term just for the second-highest bidder, the under bidder usually misses out on purchasing the property. It can also refer to all of those who bid below the highest bidder on the day.
Negotiating immediately after auction, if the property is passed in, usually goes straight to the highest bidder first.
It is good practice for a real estate agent to keep the underbidder, and often other bidders, around at the time of these negotiations in case the highest bidder doesn’t end up purchasing the home.
However, being the underbidder isn’t always a bad thing. Any bidder can potentially end up the underbidder on the day – remember, it’s better to be the underbidder than to be the bidder who overpays. Underbidders are those that have ‘tapped out’ when it has gone beyond what they are prepared to pay.
When you don’t want to be the underbidder is when you would have happily paid more for the home, but lack of confidence or a range of other factors came into play impacting your performance at the auction. Sometimes your rival bidder will have more money than you, but this isn’t always the case. <a href="/expert-insights/investing/winning-at-auction-isnt-amount-having-the-most-money-its-about-strategy">James Buyer Advocates’ Kristen Hatt shared a situation</a> with Property Observer earlier this year where the underbidder spent more, later on, for a very similar property.
If you do set out to win, and you don’t want to be the underbidder, then you need to think strategy. Effectively, underbidders and the highest bidder set the pace at the auction and together will drive the price up.
YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ
<a href="/expert-insights/buying/six-tips-for-keeping-a-cool-head-at-auction">Six tips for keeping a cool head at auction</a>
<a href="/expert-insights/buying/twelve-tips-for-bidding-at-property-auctions">Twelve tips for bidding at auction</a>
</body></html>

What is an 'underbidder'? Property investment terms explained

<html><body>
New South Wales’s fastest selling Masterplanned project, The Ponds, in Sydney’s north-west has now sold out with the last land plot purchased.
The UrbanGrowth NSW and Australand project is a $2 billion community with more than 4,200 home sites – all sold within seven years.
Development director for The Ponds, Jey Mahendra, said that in early 2003 they set a vision for the area that included 80 hectares of bushland and waterways and six kilometres of bicycle and walk ways.
“Eleven years later this vision has been achieved. It is estimated over 12,400 residents will call The Ponds home when the last remaining homes are built in 2015,” said Mahendra.
“A combination of strong leadership, clear project vision, a dedicated team with shared values, community input, combined with cooperative relationships with council, project partners and state government agencies were invaluable in the success of this project,” he said.
The homes will include detached and attached homes, terraces houses and courtyard homes.
Major infrastructure projects and housing saw an investment of over one billion dollars, with general manager, residential NSW for Australand, Nigel Edgar, noting that they had initially expected to finishing selling land and homes in the area in 2016.
“Twelve high profile industry accolades have been awarded including the coveted Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) President’s Award for 2012 for the best project of the year in residential, commercial and retail development,” he said.
They have also received sustainability awards from the UDIA, Housing Industry of Australia and PIA.
“A broad range of purchasers have appreciated the lifestyle that has been created at The Ponds. There is nothing else like it in the North West of Sydney. Buyers who purchased in the early stages of the project have been our best sales force. The consultants involved with this project should be very proud of this thriving and functional community.”
The Ponds falls under the Blacktown City Council area.
Next year will see the completion of Peel Reserve Park, which will add to the outside amenitiess that include BBQ areas, playgrounds and sports facilities. In 2015 two schools, John Palmer Public School and a special school, will be complete, as will the second of two community hubs.
Also yet to open next year will be a retail and shopping centre amenity.
</body></html>

“Most successful masterplanned project in NSW history” sells out: The Ponds

<html><body>
The latest Adelaide Bank/REIA Housing Affordability Report for the September quarter has revealed that, unsurprisingly, New South Wales remains the least affordable place to buy.
Based on the loan repayments to percentage of income, it's unsurprising that the ACT manages to score the "most affordable" title on the list - as it has previously.
Adelaide Bank general manager Damian Percy said that the ACT is down 0.4% on its previous quarter.
However, it’s Western Australia that’s attracting attention.
“When compared to the June quarter, Western Australia stands out in two key measures, firstly the greatest improvement in terms of the proportion of income required to meet loan repayments, which fell 0.7 percentage points to 25.9% and as the state with the largest proportion of first home buyers who now comprise 20.7% of the Western Australian owner-occupied market,” he said.
The percentage figure noted below is the percentage if income to loan repayments:
<ul>
<li>
ACT - 19.4% 
</li>
<li>
TAS - 24.4%
</li>
</ul>
Average first home buyer (FHB) home loan decreased by 5.2%. The loan is now at $213,233.
<ul>
<li>
WA - 25.9%
</li>
</ul>
First home buyers totalled 20.7% of WA’s owner occupier market over the quarter, the highest proportion in Australia, and totalled 25.1% of all Australian FHB purchases recorded.
<ul>
<li>
SA - 26.8%
</li>
</ul>
The largest quarterly drop of FHBs was seen in South Australia, perhaps as a result of the end of the grant for established purchases.
<ul>
<li>
NT - 27.2%
</li>
</ul>
Largest increase in loans over this quarter and past year noted.
<ul>
<li>
QLD - 28.1%
</li>
</ul>
While improvements were seen in all the other states – this is an unchanged result for Queensland.
<ul>
<li>
VIC - 31.9%
</li>
</ul>
Victoria accounted for 26.4% of first home buyers across the country in the September quarter.
<ul>
<li>
NSW - 34.5%
</li>
</ul>
In New South Wales the average loan size to first home buyers is up 9.1% compared to the same quarter in 2013. The loan is now at $327,767.
Source: Figures - Adelaide Bank, Commentary - REIWA
The Australian average figure sits at 30.4%, an overall improvement – down 0.5% over the quarter.
The president of the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia David Airey said that the Western Australia situation is a good picture for those looking to avoid housing stress.
He also noted that first home buyers currently have a stamp duty exemption for buying under $430,000.
“This means that home buyers in WA can avoid ‘housing stress’ by remaining under the 30 per cent threshold regarded by economists as the safest benchmark for comfortable living with a balance between income and housing expenditure,” Airey said.
“The moderating house price growth in WA has translated into good news for those wanting to enter the housing market, with 20.7% of WA’s owner-occupied market now made up with first home buyers.”
However, the figure of loans to first home buyers are still low – down over the September quarter compared to a year prior by 8.3%.
Office of State Revenue figures for Western Australia note a jump from 1,535 first home grant payments in September to 1,826 in October.
First home buyers’ median purchase price was $450,000 for metropolitan Perth and $355,000 in the regions.
“This has dropped from a metropolitan peak of $470,700 in June and from a regional peak of $365,000 reached in August,” Airey said.
</body></html>

Western Australia cements position as first home buyer hotspot: REIWA

<html><body>
Investors are regularly told to try and get ahead in the property market by picking up on the signs that a change is occurring.
You need to know the norm for the area you are looking at. If it’s fast moving, then you may expect the statistics to swing a little more wildly. For larger areas, any significant changes should be noted carefully. Statistical reliability, and the problematic use of small sample set, is worth understanding. Always seek to know what caused the changes and whether it was as a result of a small number of properties rather than a market trend.
Of course, you will need to dig deeper – many statistics are broad market indicators and do little to help you specifically with individual properties, streets or types of housing, but the broad statistics can help you notice location-related changes first.
Here are seven statistics to keep on your radar to help you look for market movements. Each of these should be used in concert with one another and may lead to further research.
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-one.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Median price changes
A change in the median price can be more indicative of a market change than you might think. While experienced real estate experts regularly lament the use of the median as a change in value, and rightly so, alterations in the median price are certainly not useless information.
In fact, an increase in price in the area may alert you to the possibility that more expensive stock has been built or that the prestige stock in the area is on the move. A lowering of the median price may suggest that cheaper properties have been built or sold, or that first home buyers are moving into the suburb.
Usually, median price changes are available on a month to month basis, however looking for longer term trends in the 12 month, and three, five and 10 year figures can also be revealing.
<ul>
<li>
Read: <a href="/expert-insights/buying/short-term-median-price-data-can-be-interesting-but-more-often-its-confusing-or-misleading">Short-term median price data can be interesting, but more often it's confusing or misleading</a>
</li>
</ul>
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-two.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Rental yield trends
Trends in the rental yield can be an interesting figure to keep a close eye on. If the rental yield is starting to drop, particularly when the median price has remained steady, then you need to question whether tenants are potentially not paying as much for their rentals.
If the rental yield increases, then you might be finding an area where stock is starting to reduce – perhaps due to more owner occupiers buying in – and/or tenant competition is increasing, leaving them paying more rent for the homes. Look at the median rent figures and search listings sites to figure out why the number is changing.
High rental yields may also start to attract investors, so noting how strong the rental yield is relative to other local suburbs can also be a worthwhile exercise.
<ul>
<li>
Read: <a href="/expert-insights/how-to-use-the-rental-yield-statistic">How to use the rental yield statistic</a>
</li>
</ul>
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-three.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Vacancy rate
In line with the rental yield, the vacancy rate of an area is worth watching. This figure, supplied by a number of research houses such as SQM Research, and how it tracks over time can be crucial in understanding rental demand and how new developments affect a market.
Look for seasonal swings and changes, ensure you understand the area’s make up and note that some locations have routine dramatic vacancy rate swings.
<ul>
<li>
Read: <a href="/expert-insights/what-is-a-vacancy-rate-investment-terms-explained">The vacancy rate explained</a>
</li>
</ul>
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-four.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Stock on market
The amount of available stock on market can quickly alert you to whether it is a buyers or a sellers market and whether this has been shifting in recent times.
When there are fewer properties available, particularly when older stock is getting purchased, it’s a sign that the market may be heating up. If this is working in reverse and more stock is coming on the market it may be a sign that buyers have more choice and perhaps that owners are cashing in on their capital gains.
 Excess stock on the market, particularly when they are not moving fast (see Time on market) can be a warning sign, although may mean that deals are available.
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-five.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Time on market
The length of time properties spend on the market waiting to sell is important for a number of reasons. It is a useful quick barometer of potential buyer demand for the homes, but changes can also let you know how long it may take you to sell in the future.
In a hot market this figure usually reduces – it also drops when large new developments launch strong marketing campaigns for quick sales – whereas in a cold, slow-moving market the figure will increase.
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-six.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Vendor discounting
Vendor discounting is the amount that a seller drops their property’s listed price by. Usually represented as a percentage, a strong rate of vendor discounting can identify a cold or cooling market and can also signal a push for owners to move out.
It may suggest that further drops are expected. Similarly, areas with very little vendor discounting – and those that achieve over their listed price – can see the figure indicative of competition, heat in the market and strong sentiment.
A singular property being heavily discounted can often speak more of personal circumstance than market conditions. Be aware of the true cause.
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-seven.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">Demographic changes
At the end of the list are the changes in the area’s demographics. This is a far slower indicator, usually gleaned from the latest Census results and from local council data, but is one that should not be overlooked.
Significant changes in the makeup of an area’s population can quickly assist investors in choosing areas that are gentrifying and seeing an increased number of young professionals.
<ul>
<li>
Read: <a href="/expert-insights/investing/how-australias-changing-demographics-are-affecting-the-property-market-for-investors">How Australia's changing demographics are affecting the property market for investors</a>
</li>
</ul>
</body></html>

Seven statistics to watch to detect market changes

What makes a shopping centre attractive?

<html><body>
To achieve the first home owners grant there are a number of rules around how long you can live in a property, the type and value of the property and whether or not your partner owns property.
Usually, no one is eligible for the grant if they or their partner have received the grant before. They must also not have owned a property that they have lived in.
However, if you have owned an investment property then in some areas this may be a different story and you may still be eligible for the grant. In many cases, if you held interest in a commercial property investment then this does not affect your ability to obtain a grant either.
When we look at the below scenarios, usually the same applies for the applicants spouse as well.
<h3>ACT</h3>
In the ACT you must “not have previously owned or held a relevant interest in a residential property anywhere in Australia prior to 1 July 2000.”
You must also have not occupied a residential property in which you held a relevant interest on or after 1 July 2000 but before 1 January 2004, nor have occupied a property for a period of at least six months in which you acquired a relevant interest on or after 1 January 2004.
<h3>NSW</h3>
“You or your partner have not previously owned residential property in any form in any State or Territory of Australia.”
<h3>NT</h3>
You must not have owned residential property in Australia prior to 1 July 2000 and not have occupied a residential property in Australia that you or your spouse owned on or after 1 July 2000.
<h3>QLD</h3>
“You or your spouse has not previously owned property in Australia.”
<h3>SA</h3>
You and your partner must not have owned residential property jointly, separately or with some other person before  1 July 2000 anywhere in Australia. And you must not have lived in a property for a continuous period of six months in which you had an interested on or after 1 July 2000.
<h3>TAS</h3>
You must not have owned and occupied a property for more than six months after 1 July 2000.
<h3>WA</h3>
You cannot have owned property anywhere in Australia prior to 1 July 2000. You can not have owned property, and have lived in it, for six continuous months on or after  from 1 July 2000.
</body></html>

If you buy an investment property, do you lose FHOG eligibility?

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

Joel Robinson

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

&nbsp;

Developer GURNER™ Group has revealed $1.65 billion in residential sales nationally across the 12 months to December 2025, driven largely by the continued momentum of its Docklands wellness-focused precinct, Elysium Fields.

The sales result was generated across seven projects in Victoria and New South Wales, headlined by Elysium Fields, GURNER™’s $2.75 billion mixed-use precinct planned for Harbour Esplanade in Docklands.

The project has recorded more than $500 million in sales across the first three towers, equating to around 580 apartments sold.

The first tower, Helios, has now sold out of its 240 private residences, with GURNER™ preparing to release a premium penthouse collection comprising 15 three-bedroom penthouses in coming weeks.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370975]

Elysium Fields is being developed on the long-held 20,000 sqm Docklands site at 208-226 Harbour Esplanade, which had remained undeveloped for more than two decades prior to GURNER™ taking over the project around four years ago.

Construction has now commenced across four towers ranging between 18 and 30 storeys, with Hamilton Marino and Maxcon appointed as builders.

Once complete, the precinct is expected to comprise around 1,100 residences, alongside retail, hospitality and public realm uses integrated throughout the site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370981]

Designed by Fraser &amp; Partners in collaboration with GURNER™ Design House, the project has been positioned around the developer’s broader focus on wellness-led residential living.

“We don’t sell apartments. We create a true luxury lifestyle that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere in the market today,” Founder and Executive Chairman Tim Gurner said.

“To deliver that requires an extraordinary level of detail, coordination and discipline across multiple verticals, from design and hospitality through to wellness and service.”

“We’ve always believed that living extends far beyond the physical residence. It’s about how you feel the moment you arrive, how you live day-to-day, and the ecosystem that supports that.” 
[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370977]

The project’s design places a heavy focus on landscaping, wellness amenities and biophilic design principles.

Plans include around 3,700 sqm of landscaped gardens and open space throughout the precinct, alongside a retail and dining offering spanning approximately 5,000 sqm.

The broader public realm strategy centres around what GURNER™ describes as the “Path of Life”, an urban forest and landscaped pedestrian environment intended to connect the various buildings and wellness spaces across the precinct.

The apartments themselves will incorporate a range of wellness-focused inclusions, including purified air and water systems, circadian lighting, antimicrobial surfaces, and optional in-home wellness upgrades.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370980]

Gurner said the company’s experience through its Saint Haven wellness clubs had directly informed the residential offering now being incorporated into Elysium Fields.

“We’re seeing a clear global shift toward longevity, performance and proactive health,” Gurner said.

“Our role is to deliver that in a way that feels seamless, highly private and beautifully resolved within the environments we create.”

A large component of the wellness offering is planned through the resident amenity and health facilities proposed within the precinct.

That includes plans for bathing and recovery facilities spread throughout the towers, incorporating mineral pools, saunas, steam rooms, flotation therapy, red light therapy and wellness lounges.

The developer is also seeking approvals for what it describes as a “reverse ageing medical clinic” within the precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370978]

According to project information released by the group, the proposed facility would include cryotherapy, IV infusion therapy, infrared and dry saunas, PEMF beds, MRIs, DEXA scans, brain scans and blood analysis services.

Within the first tower, Helios, residents will also have access to a dedicated amenity offering known as the Sky Private Club.

The upper 15 levels of the building will include private lounges, dining spaces, rooftop amenities and optional private wellness studios integrated within residences.

The Helios tower itself comprises 260 apartments ranging between 60 sqm and 300 sqm, including a collection of penthouses.

That includes a planned two-storey penthouse spanning around 600 sqm with uninterrupted bay views.

The Elysium Fields precinct is being delivered in partnership with Digital Harbour Holdings, a consortium that includes the Liberman family, which controls the development rights across the Docklands site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370979]

The sales result comes as GURNER™ continues expanding its national development pipeline beyond Victoria.

“We have a strong pipeline across Australia and are now focused on scaling into key markets including New South Wales and Queensland, while continuing to build on our Melbourne base,” Gurner said.

“We currently have more than $3 billion in the market, growing to over $5 billion by October, and expect to materially outperform last year in the 2026 calendar year.”

The result also reflects the continued strength of the upper-end apartment market in Melbourne, particularly for owner-occupier-focused product with large-scale amenity and lifestyle offerings.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144441]

Record result anchored by the Group’s “utopian” Elysium Fields precinct – defying market headwinds in Docklands.

Elysium Fields drive Gurner to $1.65 billion in apartment sales over 2025

National Australia Bank (NAB) will fund <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera</a>, a $1 billion, 52-level luxury residential tower being developed by Central Equity in one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held coastal locations at Northcliffe.

The project, launched recently by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a>, one of Victoria’s largest private residential developers, comes at a time when construction funding for large residential developments has become increasingly competitive as lenders tighten exposure to the sector.

Multiplex has been appointed the builder, and construction is now underway.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365784]

Since its first project, Central Equity has delivered more than 85 residential developments with a combined end value exceeding $8 billion.

Palmera reflects Central Equity’s growing focus on the Gold Coast luxury apartment market and continues a relationship between Central Equity and NAB that dates back to the late 1980s, when the bank funded one of Melbourne’s earliest inner-city residential towers at a time when high-rise apartment living in the CBD was largely unproven.

“NAB’s funding of Central Equity’s $36 million CBD development in the late 1980’s to the financing of the billion-dollar tower today highlights the long-term relationship between the two organisations in delivering major residential projects” said Central Equity Founder and Chairman Eddie Kutner.

He said NAB’s early support was instrumental in helping establish the company’s development model.

“When we commenced our first residential tower in the late 1980s the concept of funding off-the-plan apartments was still largely untested in Australia,” Kutner said.

“NAB recognised the opportunity early and supported the project when others were uncertain. That relationship has now continued for more than 37 years across many developments.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Central Equity was established in 1987 when Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank precinct were still dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings. Fewer than 100 residents lived in Southbank at the time, and large-scale residential development in the inner city was not widely considered.

Recognising changing demographics and lifestyle preferences, the company began developing high-rise residential projects designed to bring permanent residents into the city centre.

Central Equity has provided accommodation for approximately 40,000 residents across Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank, while also incorporating supporting infrastructure including essential lifestyle facilities like retail spaces, childcare facilities and neighbourhood activity centres.

Central Equity has spent many years assembling the Palmera development site on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Frederick Street in Northcliffe, creating a supersite of around 3,300 sqm.

The developer said the Palmera apartment tower reflects its long-term view of the Gold Coast as a growing and increasingly diversified economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365768]

Supported by infrastructure including the light rail network, major road upgrades expanded education, hospital and medical facilities and continued expansion at the Gold Coast Airport with more international and domestic flights.

Positioned in the tightly held Northcliffe precinct, the 52-level tower will deliver 347 apartments, targeting buyers seeking a high-end coastal lifestyle, from downsizers to interstate investors.

Designed by Marchese Partners with interiors by DBI, Palmera has been conceived as a next-generation residential offering, featuring a collection of oversized apartments, with premium three-bedroom residences offering sweeping northern views stretching from Surfers Paradise through to Burleigh Heads.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

Jennifer Duke

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News