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Returning Block couple Deanne and Darren have selected veteran auctioneer Damien Cooley to sell their apartment on this season of The Block.
Their decision is no surprise, given Cooley <a href="/news/the-strategy-that-won-simon-and-shannon-the-block-glasshouse">secured the winning sales price</a> for brothers Shannon and Simon last season. Their $1.9 million apartment delivered them a profit of $335,000, $325,000 higher than Deanne and Darren's.
The "Triple Threat" moniker for this series seems to extend to Cooley. He's a three time Block winning auctioneer (selling Shannon and Simon's, Andrew and Jamie and Phil and Amity's apartments), who also happens to be tossing up between <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/damiencooley/status/562854250464956417" target="_blank">running three marathons this year</a>:
<img src="/images/2015/02/18/Picture%2050.png" alt="">
In total, Cooley has appeared on The Block six times, making him the most popular auctioneer on the show. This time, he's teaming up with Andrew McCann and Carla Fetta from Jellis Craig.
Fetta and McKann, who worked with Cooley to sell Shannon and Simon's apartment on The Block Glasshouse, said: "The combination of Damien's auctioneering skills paired with Jellis Craig's marketing and a great local presence with the South Yarra Office definitely makes us a dominating team for this series."
Cooley points to the team's track record, saying: "Andrew McCann and Carla Fetta were instrumental in last years win and Darren and Deanne recognised us as a formidable force in this series."
After their disappointing result on The Block Glasshouse, Deanne and Darren say they "realised the importance of an auctioneer".
"We went into this series six days later and he was the first phone call that I made – we wanted to lock him in straight away. He is the best of the best."
They're hoping Damien can help them get "every last dollar".
Cooley debuted on The Block in season two, auctioning the winning apartment of Andrew and Jamie. The then couple earned $78,000 plus an additional $100,000 winner's prize.
He then returned for season three, auctioning Mark and Duncan's renovated apartment. The duo made the lowest profit of any of the teams that season, with a $47,000 profit.
But Cooley was vindicated with the sale of Phil and Amity's apartment in The Block All Stars. The winning couple made a $295,000 profit when Cooley secured a $1.67 million bid for the two bedroom Bondi apartment.
Cooley also auctioned Matt and Kim's apartment on The Block Sky High, delivering a $1,205,000 million price for the couple, who took home a $250,000 profit.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Dea and Darren decide on Damien Cooley for The Block Triple Threat

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NAME:  Rod Chadwick<img src="/images/2015/02/18/chadwick-feb-18-one.jpg" alt="" style="float: right;"> 
POSITION:  State general manager, Queensland
COMPANY:  AVJennings
OFFICE LOCATION: Milton, Brisbane
<ul>
<li>How long have you been in the industry?</li>
</ul>
15 years. I joined AVJennings in 2004 as NSW business development manager before relocating to Auckland, New Zealand in April 2008 to take up the role of project director with AVJennings’ Hobsonville Point Development. In July 2014, I relocated to Brisbane to join the Queensland team as AVJennings Queensland general manager.
<ul>
<li>What’s happening in the area you specialise in?</li>
</ul>
Affordability continues to be a significant factor that consumers consider when purchasing a new or existing property. Interest rates are at a record low and as such we are seeing increased activity in the first home buyer market across our Queensland portfolio.
To ensure our products represent good value, AVJennings is continuously looking to innovate, whether this is in the urban design of new communities, the architectural design of new homes or in the materials and construction techniques we use when building new homes.
Our ability to provide innovative and consumer focussed products ensure that our products appeal to a broad range of customers from first and second home buyers and young families through to empty nesters looking to settle into a low maintenance home in established communities.
<ul>
<li>Describe the most interesting property you have worked on? </li>
</ul>
Creekwood at Meridan Plains on the Sunshine Coast because of the diverse range of properties offered to the community. The entire Creekwood community spans 50 hectares and on completion will feature a total of 370 townhomes, terrace and loft homes and 470 homesites.
There is so much activity in the area, with the new Sunshine Coast Public University Hospital  at the Kawana Health Precinct set to employ 3,500 people - it's an exciting project in a beautiful part of Queensland.
<ul>
<li>What are the ingredients to being successful in your job? </li>
</ul>
Being consumer orientated is key.  Strong communication skills, unwavering commitment and patience are just as important as being inquisitive, numerate and strategic.
<ul>
<li>What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most? </li>
</ul>
Creating communities and homes that people love to live in. At AVJennings, we are committed to our philosophy of creating fresh residential addresses that meet the individual needs of local communities and modern lifestyles.
Choosing a place to live is part of the great Australian dream. Our investment in innovative design, excellent land management practices, delivering outstanding community facilities and great living environments are our way of staying true to our goal of creating high-quality communities. It is great to be part of a dedicated team with values that align with the AVJennings brand.
<ul>
<li>Where would you invest a spare $750,000?</li>
</ul>
AVJennings’ Elysium Noosa community at Noosa Heads, Queensland.  The Noosa Heads property market is in the recovery cycle with sales prices and volume increasing. There are opportunities to purchase land and new homes in the Noosa Market for a fraction of the prices of being paid prior to the GFC. This represents the opportunity for capital gain as the market continues to improve and more buyers return to enjoy the lifestyle benefits of the Noosa region.
Elysium Noosa is one of the limited addresses where you can buy new land and homes with a Noosa Heads address. Elysium appeals to owner occupiers and investors alike as residents have access to their very own Rec Club with pool, tennis courts and residents lounge, plus its only 10mins to the restaurants of Hastings Street and Noosaville.
<ul>
<li>Which football team do you support?</li>
</ul>
Wallabies.  Queensland Reds, Socceroos, Central Coast Mariners.
<ul>
<li>What’s your favourite app or techno gadget? </li>
</ul>
iPhone.  Now extension of the arm. Nearmap software allows me to access aerial images changing over time.
<ul>
<li>How do you use social media? </li>
</ul>
Limited to be honest. I am on LinkedIn but I rely on my social media savvy team in the social media arena.
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In profile: AVJennings' state general manager, Queensland, Rod Chadwick

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The Year of the Horse is drawing to a close. Tomorrow, we move into the Year of the Goat ­– prosperity, apparently, is coming.
Of course, Australia has been receiving the benefits of Chinese foreign investment for years now (or bearing the costs, depending on who you speak to).
With the dollar down (US$0.78 or ¥4.89), commodity prices falling, interest rates at record low, governments flagging rule changes and an unprecedented level of Chinese buyer-fuelled inner city developments underway, what can we expect from foreign buyers in the year to come?
Andrew Taylor, chief executive of international property portal Juwai.com, says the falling dollar has increased interest in Australian real estate from offshore buyers, particularly those considering a Significant Investment Visa (SIV).
The SIV scheme requires successful applicants to invest $5 million in complying investments for a minimum of four years before being eligible to apply for a permanent visa.
"It's very safe to say there's definitely been an increase in interest in Australia and the Significant Investor Visa," says Taylor.
"These guys have a lot of wealth anyhow, so it really means they can invest more. They'll probably keep the same RMB [Renminbi] budget, but invest more."
The falling dollar means that the minimum investment requirement of A$5 million is much lower than it was a year ago.
Eugene Chen, special counsel and head of China practice at Hall and Wilcox, agrees that the exchange rate will impact both individual migrants and Chinese developers.
"It's likely to draw in more foreign investment because of the massive differential from 12 months ago. Property will become more affordable," says Chen.
"If our properties become cheaper, it may result in more Chinese investors wanting to buy off the plan townhouses and apartments, which will in turn drive Chinese developers."
The impacts, Chen says, are likely to stretch beyond this year.
"The cycle is usually quite long. And certainly from a land banking perspective, [the falling dollar] is likely to have some sort of impact."
However, increasing property prices, particularly in areas popular with offshore buyers, may negate any "discount" enjoyed as a result of the falling dollar.
"On the other hand," Chen explains, "I think there's also a high level of saturation in the Melbourne and Sydney property markets, in terms of new developments and permits – and at somewhat overvalued prices."
That "over-saturation" is leading developers and buyers to consider the Brisbane and Gold Coast markets. In Sydney and Melbourne, developers are increasingly interested in suburbs outside the Melbourne and Sydney CBDs, with Chen noting a focus on "high quality suburban areas" like Box Hill, Glen Waverley and Caufield.
While the chief exchange rate may increase the attractiveness of Australian real estate, the emergence of new developments and the rising cost of property in the Melbourne and Sydney markets may also impact demand over the coming year.
Those rising home prices – 13.0% in Sydney and 7.0% in Melbourne in 2014 after a year of double digit growth in both cities, according to CoreLogic RP Data – have often been blamed on the influx of Chinese buyers. For some, it may have felt like the Year of the Scapegoat came early (and stretched extra long), with foreign buyers deemed responsible for pricing first home buyers (of non-Chinese origin, presumably) out of the market.
It certainly seems to be a theory Prime Minister Tony Abbott believes, saying earlier this month that<a href="/expert-insights/buying/tony-abbott-suggests-foreigners-pricing-out-young-home-buyers"> he wanted to enforce Foreign Investment Review Board</a> (FIRB) rules "because, obviously, the last thing we want to be doing is pricing young home buyers out of the market".
Following a parliamentary enquiry last year, which found that certain FIRB rules were rarely enforced, Abbott announced that the government would set up a foreign ownership register for agricultural land, while the threshold for screening agricultural purchases would be dropped from $252 million to $15 million.
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics also recommended a $1,500 application fee for foreign buyers, ostensibly to fund the FIRB.
The fee, Taylor and Chen agree, isn't likely to have a big impact on Chinese buyers.
"It's highly unlikely to impact foreign investment. In the grand scheme of things, $1,500 isn't going to be significant," says Chen.
Taylor says the fees are "one function of what the government is trying to do, which is identify foreign investments".
"How do we track them, how do we identify them, and how do we make them comply with the rules?"
However, he suspects the move is more a political show than any real effort to make a change.
One reform that may have a real impact on foreign investment are potential changes to the SIV scheme, says Chen. The proposed changes, which <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/immigration/rich-migrants-told-to-put-funds-to-work/story-fn9hm1gu-1227216555811" target="_blank">The Australian reports</a> have been drafted "at the insistence" of Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb, would require SIV migrants to invest at least 50% of their $5 million funds into venture capital and small-cap investments.
"The SIV program has so far seen $2.5 billion of in-bound investment, and much of that is into real estate development," explains Chen.
"And it's a strong wealth of funding, not only for Chinese developers, but prominent Australian developers.
"The proposal is that they'll be turning the tap off on 1 July. And we think that will have a significant impact on the economy."
If the proposed changes to the SIV are brought about, Chen believes that the current flow of foreign investment into Australia will not be maintained, and development projects in the pipeline will be impacted.
"On the other hand, we have an even bigger problem with the demand of funds.
"Our Australian developer clients and our Chinese developer clients have projected their future developer funding on the basis of gaining that cash. It will be a double whammy to our industry."
All this speculation, says Taylor, displays a lack of clarity in vision from the Australian government.
"Australia needs to be part of Asia. We use the phrase 'Australasia' – those economies are looking to invest into Australia.
"If I was a government I'd be looking at how to use that growth."
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What property investors should expect in the Year of the Goat

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Property companies are pouring dollars into this week's Chinese New Year celebrations, particularly in Melbourne.
There, Lend Lease is contributing to Year of the Goat celebrations through Destinations Docklands. Lend Lease puts aside a segment of its budget every year for Destination Docklands, which is tasked to activate the area with community events.
At tomorrow's Victoria Harbour celebrations, there will also be entertainment events including a lion dances, fire crackers, street theatre and a dragon boat exhibition.
Lend Lease is responsible for the development of Docklands' Victoria Harbour precinct.
Central Equity is also sponsoring Chinese New Year festivities. Chinese buyers reportedly make up a large portion of the company's revenue stream. The property developer, which has a range of projects across the Melbourne CBD and inner city – including MelbourneOne and Australis – also has an international real estate agency arm, called MICM.
Central Equity is the principal partner for Destination Melbourne's CBD Chinese New Year celebrations.
No property companies are official sponsors of Sydney's celebrations, though some are hoping to cash in on the festivities. Real estate agency Savills is launching its Sydney Chinatown branch in Haymarket on 20 February, with the invitations (below) displaying a rather regal looking golden goat.
<img src="/images/2015/02/18/invite-feb-18-two.jpg" alt="">
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Property developers back Chinese New Year celebrations

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The Toorak penthouse that cast a spell on Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is now for sale.
The <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/2-98b-st-georges-road-toorak/Property-Details-buy-residential-8337624" target="_blank">penthouse on the prestigious St Georges Road</a> was purchased for Radcliffe by his parents in 2004 for $1.9 million, when he was 16 years old.
It now has price expectations around $2.5 million, selling through Marcus Chiminello and Nicole French of Marshall White.
The three bedroom apartment is one of two in its development, occupying the complex's entire upper level. The apartment is accessible by lift and has views of the city over the river.
The kitchen comes with a butler's pantry and the penthouse has two bathrooms.
Radcliffe's parents reportedly spotted the apartment while looking at Australian property on the internet in London. The home was transferred to Radcliffe when he was 18, in 2007.
It has not been rented out during the family's ownership.
Radcliffe rose to prominence starring as the title character in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone  in 2001 when he was 12 years old. He appeared in a further seven Harry Potter films based upon the book series by J.K. Rowling. After purchasing the Toorak apartment, Radcliffe shot the Rod Hardy-directed December Boys in Australia.
He has acted in various film and stage roles since, including a stint at age 17 in Peter Schaffer's Equus. In 2013, he appeared as poet Allen Ginsberg in Kill Your Darlings.
The expressions of interest campaign for the apartment at 98B St Georges Road closes on 10 March.
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Daniel Radcliffe selling Toorak penthouse

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The upcoming Commonwealth Games is set to boost the Gold Coast property market, according to real estate franchise PRDnationwide.
New infrastructure projects worth $950 million are expected to cope with the 2018 Commonwealth Games, including the Athlete's Village in Southport and sporting centres in Carrara, Coomera and Broadbeach.
The recent price growth for houses in the local market, with 11.0% median price growth in Southport and 10.2% in Ashmore, along with the new infrastructure and stock on the market that will be introduced around the Commonwealth Games, has given PRDnationwide reason to expect strong growth in the region.
PRDnationwide national research manager Diaswati Mardiasmo says both the 2000 Sydney Games and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games provided boosts for local property markets.
"By looking at case studies of similar sporting event-related development in the greater Sydney and Melbourne regions surrounding past games, respectively, we were able to forecast how the Gold Coast property market will be impacted not only prior to and during the year of the Games, but also in the years following the Games," said Mardiasmo.
According to PRDnationwide, the total cost of the Sydney Olympic Games has been estimated at $6.6 billion, with some of that money allocated to the Athletes Village. After the games, the site was transformed into 900 townhouses and 700 apartments, which were offered to first home buyers. PRDnationwide notes the development's popularity with first home buyers, which it credits with a surge of development and sales activity area, citing 58% growth in sales in Newington and surrounding suburbs from 2000 to 2001.
Click charts to open in new windows:
<a href="/images/2015/02/16/parkville-feb-17-two.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2015/02/16/parkville-feb-17-two.jpg" alt=""></a>
Unlike developments around the Sydney Olympic Games, where developments primarily took place in a concentrated area, new sporting infrastructure will be spread throughout the Gold Coast. Melbourne's Commonwealth Games saw a similar pattern of development.
There, the Athletes Village was built in the inner-northern suburb of Parkville, where sales increased by 33% between 2006 and 2007.
<a href="/images/2015/02/16/parkville-feb-17-one.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2015/02/16/parkville-feb-17-one.jpg" alt=""></a>
PRDNationwide expects that the increased development around the Gold Coast will not lead to oversupply but will accommodate the population growth projected for the area.
<a href="/images/2015/02/16/parkville-feb-17-three.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2015/02/16/parkville-feb-17-three.jpg" alt=""></a>
Source: PRDnationwide
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Gold Coast to get a boost from the Commonwealth Games: PRDnationwide

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When the apartment Charlotte and Josh made over on this season of The Block was passed in at auction this weekend, many wondered if it was another case of The Block curse.
It seems, however, that it was merely a case of market forces at play.
The apartment, passed in at $390,000, <a href="/expert-insights/buying/curse-of-the-block-how-the-other-caroline-street-apartments-have-performed">was sold after auction for $445,000</a>, some $92,222 higher than the average apartment price Frank Valentic's syndicate of investors paid when they purchased the 18-apartment block.
Jarrod McCabe, buyers agent associate director of Wakelin Property Advisory, says the location of the one bedroom apartment "ticks many but not all the boxes".
"South Yarra is a wonderful suburb," says McCabe.
"Caroline Street is great as well in places, given its proximity The Domain and so on. However, the property is directly opposite a major school (Melbourne's Girls' Grammar) and there is likely to be a significant traffic issues at peak times."
McCabe explains that Wakelin Property Advisory chooses properties according to their location first, then the property type and its presentation.
The apartment's position within the block itself could also impact its potential for capital growth.
"The property itself sits within a catwalk, three storey block, in a top corner.
"Often, catwalk properties aren't a great investment as there can be a lot of pedestrian traffic past occupants' windows which can be a privacy and security issue, deterring buyers. However, in this instance, the property is at the top of the building and is not a through route to other apartments," says McCabe. The apartment block has been recently renovated, with new paint, and offers dedicated off-street parking, an inclusion McCabe says "is a mandatory requirement in our opinion for apartment investments".
McCabe also notes that Charlotte and Josh's renovation of the 47 square metre, one bedroom apartment meets a "reasonably high standard", and is "contemporary without being too avant garde". However, the apartment has not been fully renovated, with the front door and laundry both "needing attention".
While McCabe thinks the 85 Caroline Street block is one of the better investments that has appeared on The Block in Melbourne, it doesn't quite meet the investment advisory group's standard, with Wakelin seeking the "best 5% of properties in the market from the investment perspective".
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Charlotte and Josh's apartment on The Block "doesn't tick all the boxes"

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 A four bedroom, three bathroom Mosman house was the most expensive home to sell last week, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
The dual-pavillion home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-mosman-118329207" target="_blank">1 Lavoni Street</a> (pictured above) was sold for $4,375,000 through Simeon Manners Property Mosman.
Each of the pavillions connect via enclosed glass walkways overlooking courtyards. The house has timber floors, with custom made cabinetry and a gas fireplace. The master bedroom includes a built in robe, an en suite and a Juliette balcony.
The vendors had attempted to sell the home twice before securing $4,375,000 last week, including a 548 day campaign that stretched from November 2011 to May 2013. They paid $3.8 million for the house in April 2005.
Nine of the top 10 sales of the week came from Sydney, with a <a href="/expert-insights/buying/moonee-ponds-tops-melbournes-valentines-day-auctions">$2.44 million Moonee Ponds house</a> sold at auction the exception.
CoreLogic RP Data's 10 most expensive sales for the week ending 15 February:
<ol>
<li>
1 Lavoni Street, Mosman, NSW 4 bed, 3 bath, 2 car house $4,375,000 Sold through Simeon Manners Property Mosman 
</li>
<li>
17 Cairo Street, South Coogee, NSW 3 bed, 2 bath, 1 car house $3,650,000 Sold through NG Farah Real Estate Kingsford 
</li>
<li>
7A Duke Place, Balmain East, NSW 4 bed, 3 bath, 2 car house $3,400,000 Sold through McGrath Estate Agents 
</li>
<li>
3/46 Cliffbrook Parade, Clovelly, NSW 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car unit $3,305,000 Sold through Raine &amp; Horne Double Bay 
</li>
<li>
20 Rockwall Crescent,Potts Point, NSW 5 bed, 3 bath, 2 car house $3,250,000 Sold through Richardson &amp; Wrench Elizabeth Bay/Potts Point 
</li>
<li>
9 Hillside Crescent, Epping, NSW 5 bed, 4 bath, 2 car house $2,530,000 Sold through Belle Property Beecroft 
</li>
<li>
26 Ardmillan Road, Moonee Ponds, Vic 5 bed, 3 bath, 2 car house $2,440,000 Sold through Nelson Alexander Essendon 
</li>
<li>
12 Day Avenue, Kensington, NSW 5 bed, 3 bath, 2 car house $2,350,000 Sold through Ray White Kingsford 
</li>
<li>
29 Darnley Street, Gordon, NSW 5 bed, 4 bath, 2 car house $2,312,000 Sold through Ray White Turramurra 
</li>
<li>
13 Mooney Street, Lane Cove North, NSW 4 bed, 3 bath, 1 car house $2,220,000 Sold through L J Hooker Lane Cove</li>
</ol>
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Mosman $4.38 million home tops week's sales: CoreLogic RP Data

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CUA lent its customers $1.8 billion in the last six months of 2014, up $800 million from the same period the year before.
According to general manager of products and marketing Jason Murray, the result, a record breaker for CUA, was largely a result of the final three months of the year.
"In December alone, we issued $373 million in new loans, with more than 95% of that being for housing. That is highest value for new lending in one month that CUA has ever achieved in our 70-year history," said Murray.
"The record breaking run started in October when we issued a massive $350 million in new loans. In November, we broke that record with $357 million of new loans. And we topped it yet again in December."
CUA claims the October to December results "helped CUA grow at more than three times the average rate of the industry for that period".
Murray noted the growing influence of mortgage brokers.
"Mortgage brokers are also contributing to our lending growth, generating close to half of our new loans, which reflects a trend across the industry. Consumers are increasingly using comparison services and brokers for everything from hotel bookings to insurance, and banking is no different."
As of 24 February, CUA will offer a variable rate home loan for 4.43% per annum to customers with at least 20% equity in their property or a 20% deposit.
Their standard variable home loan interest rate will be 5.15%.
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CUA's new loans up 75% over the year

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Apartment number 18 at 85 Caroline Street in South Yarra - better known to the public as the apartment Josh and Charlotte renovated on The Block - was passed in at auction on the weekend.
<a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/sold/apartment-unit-flat/vic/south-yarra/?adid=2011650147" target="_blank">The apartment</a>, owned by buyer advocate and upcoming Block judge Frank Valentic through his company Advantage Property Consulting on behalf of investor clients, was passed in at $390,000 and sold after auction for $445,000, according to Fairfax reports.
Valentic's company bought entire block of 18 one bedroom apartments at 85 Caroline Street – unrenovated – for $6.35 million in June last year, meaning that each apartment on average cost Valentic and his clients $352,778.
While apartment 18 is the first to sell after The Block renovations, it isn't the first to be offered to residents to live in.
Since the complex was purchased by Advantage Property Consulting (in December 2013, presumably settling in June 2014) half of the apartments have been listed to rent – some of which came with The Block makeovers, prior to the series even coming to air.
Here's how the apartments at 85 Caroline Street have paid off for investors:
<ul>
<li>2/85 Caroline Street:</li>
</ul>
The apartment renovated by Tim and Anastasia on The Block was advertised to rent on 4 December for $410 per week. It no longer appears on online rental listings, so has presumably been secured by a tenant. Taking an average price of $352,778, the apartment would yield 6.0% at $410 per week.
<ul>
<li>4/85 Caroline Street:</li>
</ul>
Advertised to rent at $380 per week in November 2014. Potential rental yield: 5.6%
<ul>
<li>6/85 Caroline Street:</li>
</ul>
Advertised to rent at $300 per week in November 2014. Potential rental yield: 5.6%
<ul>
<li>8/85 Caroline Street:</li>
</ul>
Advertised to rent at $350 per week in mid-July 2014. By the end of July, the asking rent had been adjusted to $290 per week. Potential rental yield: 4.2%
<ul>
<li>9/85 Caroline Street:</li>
</ul>
Advertised to rent at $390 per week in early December 2014. By 24 December, the asking rent had been lowered to $365 per week. Potential rental yield: 5.7%
<ul>
<li>11/85 Caroline Street:</li>
</ul>
Advertised to rent at $330 per week in November last year. Potential rental yield: 4.9%
<ul>
<li>13/85 Caroline Street:</li>
</ul>
Advertised to rent at $370 per week in October 2014. Potential rental yield: 5.4%
<ul>
<li>14/85 Caroline Street:</li>
</ul>
Advertised to rent at $360 per week in December 2014. Potential rental yield: 5.3%
<ul>
<li>17/85 Caroline Street:</li>
</ul>
The apartment made over by eliminated contestants Luke and Ebony is currently advertised to rent at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-rent/apartment-unit-flat/vic/south-yarra/?adid=9563511" target="_blank">$400 per week on Domain</a>, though listed at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-south+yarra-415048003" target="_blank"> $395 per week on realestate.com.au</a>. At $395 per week, it would yield 5.8%.
<ul>
<li>18/85 Caroline Street:</li>
</ul>
The apartment renovated by remaining contestants Josh and Charlotte. Passed in at auction and sold after auction for $445,000 - a gain of $92,222 or 26%, before taking into account renovation costs.
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Curse of The Block? How the other Caroline Street apartments have performed

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

Joel Robinson

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Local Little Bay residents, along with buyers from premium postcodes across Sydney’s affluent Eastern Suburbs, have dominated purchases in developer-builder Urban Property Group’s first Eastern Suburbs apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a>.

The $250 million coastal project, one of the first new developments in the area in several years, has proven particularly popular with downsizers, especially those from Coogee and Bondi. One Double Bay downsizer paid $4.7 million for a four-bedroom penthouse, setting a new local apartment price record in the process.

Buyers have been attracted to the combination of coastal tranquillity, premium design and amenity-rich neighbourhood living. The walkable village setting, along with proximity to three of Sydney’s leading golf courses, New South Wales Golf Club, St Michael’s Golf Club and The Coast Golf Club, has also been a key drawcard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352689]

Built across two low-rise buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hill-thalis-architecture-urban-projects-pty-ltd">Hill Thalis</a> and set along a lush, landscaped green spine, designed by leading landscape architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, ESTE Little Bay offers a collection of one, two, three and four-bedroom residences with interiors by Richards Stanisich.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> Sales Director, Tom McIvor said the response to ESTE has been "nothing short of extraordinary."

“Buyers have been quick to recognise ESTE as a rare opportunity to invest in a coastal sanctuary that offers both seclusion and connectivity to the heart of Sydney,” McIvor said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352687]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">SRM Residential</a> Senior Director, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">Clayton Ross</a> said the local market has responded incredibly well, driven by ESTE’s exceptional location and the rarity it offers.

“We’ve seen strong interest from a variety of buyer groups, all of whom are drawn to the exclusivity and quality of the build and construction by the 4.5-star iCIRT-rated builder / developer, Urban Property Group. There’s truly nothing else like it along Sydney’s coastline.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352690]

The project also includes robust buyer protections, including Resilience Insurance’s Latent Defects Insurance, providing 10 years of structural cover, and an independent iCIRT-rating of the developer.

“The iCIRT-rating adds another layer of confidence,” Ross added. “Buyers see it as a safeguard for their investment and their lifestyle.” A highlight of ESTE’s offering is its exclusive wellness amenities, including a heated rooftop infinity pool and outdoor heated spa, a state-of-the-art Technogym fitness centre, and a sauna.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a> is topped out and is on track to complete towards the end of 2026, with residents moving in before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112343]

Jessie Richardson

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