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By the end of this year, the Housing Institute of Australia (HIA) expects construction will have commenced on 188,000 new homes – the highest level of housing starts since 1994.
20 years ago, housing construction hit its previous peak at 187,000 starts.
According to HIA's National Outlook for Spring 2014, housing starts are likely to decline in next few years after this year's peak. Next year is predicted to see 183,900 starts, with 177,300 for 2016, though these figures are still described as "elevated by historical standards".
<img src="/images/2014/11/25/hia-nov-25-one.jpg" alt="">
Source: HIA
According to HIA chief economist Harley Dale, growth in housing construction has been slower than previous cycles to gain momentum.
"The momentum culminating in this milestone has provided a substantial boost to Australia's economy at a crucial juncture in the cycle. Below trend economic growth and weak labour market outcomes would be considerably worse without the reach a new home building recovery is exerting into the broader economy," said Dale. He noted housing demand has been boosted by a number of factors.
"Record low borrowing costs have combined with other factors such as high net overseas migration to unleash substantial pent-up demand for new housing. These factors will keep the level of new homes commenced at historically elevated levels. However, what the economy needs is further growth in new home building over the next couple of years, but that will only occur as a consequence of taxation and regulatory reform," Dale said.
While construction on new dwellings has reached a historic high, renovations activity increased just 0.3% in 2013-14 from a 10 year low, according to HIA.
<img src="/images/2014/11/25/hia-nov-25-two.jpg" alt="">
Source: HIA
"Unemployment concerns, a lack of available credit, and an elevated household savings rate are but three elements in the current environment which mean there has not been room for a renovations recovery alongside new home building activity and existing property price growth," said Dale.
However, HIA does predict renovations growth will increase to more than 2% in the next three financial years.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Home building to hit 20 year record in 2014: HIA

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Former TZ Limited executive Andrew Sigalla was yesterday ordered to stand trial over allegations he used money from company accounts to pay off his gambling debts to bookie Tom Waterhouse.
The Australian Security and Investments Commission (ASIC) alleges Sigalla, used the majority of a total $8,719,318 to pay gambling debts. The rest allegedly went towards mortgage payments.
The 24 payments from TZ Limited were allegedly made between late 2006 and March 2009, with ASIC alleging Sigalla failed to ensure the payments were properly recorded and failed to obtain shareholder approval.
In 2010, Sigalla was made bankrupt, owing Waterhouse $2.6 million. In 2012, he was ordered to complete 120 hours of community service, after he was convicted of contempt of court by the NSW Supreme Court for failure to disclose almost $30,000 in payments to escort agencies.
Sigalla was arrested at the Intercontinental Hotel in May 2013.
Mark Bouris took over from Sigalla at TZ Limited. The technology company later launched a $7.5 million claim against Sigalla, that was settled for an undisclosed sum.
By mid December, it will be known whether Sigalla will face the District Court or the Supreme Court.
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Sydney businessman to stand trial over alleged breach of duty

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Brisbane's median unit price for the October quarter was $380,000, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
Earlier this year, some predicted the apartment market would display <a href="/news/qld/brisbane-apartment-market-on-the-rise-colliers">strong growth for 2014</a>. In the year to October, CoreLogic RP Data recorded 2.6% growth in Brisbane apartment values, placing it behind Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart's unit markets.
Brisbane's $380,000 median unit price is 1.2% down from the prior month's result, and 1.0% up for the quarter. Some, including observer Terry Ryder, argue the market <a href="/expert-insights/buying/brisbane-on-the-slippery-slope-to-oversupply">may soon be oversupplied</a>, leading to an excess of stock and depressing values.
Property Observer looks at recent sales to see just what $380,000 will buy you in Brisbane.
<ol>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-moorooka-117330255" target="_blank">4/116 Chaucer Street, Moorooka</a> 
 <img src="/images/2014/11/25/1.jpg" alt="">
This Moorooka apartment sold for $372,000 late last month. The two bedroom, two bathroom unit is part of a six unit complex. There is an air-conditioned lounge, which opens to an undercover balcony. Both bedrooms include mirrored built in robes. The apartment comes with a single secure car space.
Price: $372,000
Bedrooms: Two
Drive to CBD: 14 minutes
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-qld-yeerongpilly-118043447" target="_blank">7/16 Wilkie St Yeerongpilly, Qld</a> <img src="/images/2014/11/25/2.jpg" alt=""> Buyers paid $376,000 for this two bedroom unit. Located in a seven-apartment complex built in 1994, the apartment occupies the entire top level. Both bedrooms include built in robes, there is an air conditioning unit in the living room and another in the main bedroom, and two secure undercover car spaces.
Price: $376,000
Bedrooms: Two
Drive to CBD: 11 minutes
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-woolloongabba-117595907" target="_blank">30/81 Annerley Road, Woolloongabba</a>
 <img src="/images/2014/11/25/3.jpg" alt="">
This dual level apartment, with 80 square metres of floor space, sold for $379,000. It has two bedrooms with built in robes, with the main bedroom including balcony access and an en suite. The carpet is newly laid and the apartment is freshly painted. Residents have access to the complex's swimming pool and gym. The apartment includes a lockup garage.
Price: $379,000
Bedrooms: Two
Drive to CBD: 5 minutes
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-taringa-117844987" target="_blank">3/38 Waverley Road, Taringa</a>
 <img src="/images/2014/11/25/4.jpg" alt="">
A two bedroom apartment in a complex of eight sold for $371,500 last week. It has built in robes in both bedrooms, one bathroom, an open plan living and dining area, and a balcony. The apartment comes with a lock up garage.
Price: $371,500
Bedrooms: Two
Drive to CBD: 10 minutes
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-taringa-117831363" target="_blank">67/35 Morrow Street, Taringa</a>
 <img src="/images/2014/11/25/5.jpg" alt="">
Vendors secured $383,000 for this two bedroom, two bathroom apartment earlier this month. The fully furnished apartment has new carpet, and both bedrooms include built in robes. The apartment, which has a secure car space, currently returns $496 per week in rent, representing a 6.7% rental yield.
Price: $383,000
Bedrooms: Two
Drive to CBD: 15 minutes
</li>
</ol>
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What does a median-priced Brisbane apartment look like?

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Home owners won't lose protections and rights when new home building reforms come in, NSW Fair Trading Minister Matthew Mason-Cox has claimed.
His reassurance comes after a recent court decision in favour of Brookfield Multiplex in a case regarding commercial property. The High Court's ruled that Brookfield Mutliplex was not liable for alleged building defects in a commercial development was a complex and technical decision,
According to Mason-Cox, the owners corporation deemed not vulnerable in legal terms, with no duty of care from Brookfield Multiplex to a commercial property owners corporation.
"I have obtained legal advice from the Crown Solicitor's Office that confirms the decision does not affect the consumer protections offered by the state's home building legislation,'' Mason-Cox said.
"This case refers to the law of negligence and involved a commercial development.
"The case does not affect the separate NSW statutory scheme of a residential development.
"Consumers continue to enjoy all the protections afforded to them by home building laws, including the statutory warranty scheme. Any suggestions to the contrary are simply false.''
A number of reforms relating to home owner rights have been passed in the Home Building Amendment Act 2014.
Some claim the reforms will <a href="/expert-insights/investing/nsw-home-owners-dodgy-construction-claims-curbed-by-government">degrade consumers' rights</a> when their building is found to be defective, with a government-granted six-year warranty for "structural defects" now applicable only for "major defects".
However, Mason-Cox says the amendments "provide significant protection for consumers and offer clarity about rights and responsibilities of builder's liabilities, particularly in relation to defects".
"The Home Building Amendment Act 2014 was passed by Parliament in May and is expected to start in mid-January," said Mason-Cox.
"Under the new Act, if a strata scheme discovers a major defect up to six years after the building has been built, then they can pursue their builder under the statutory warranties in the Act to rectify that defect.
"In particular, our reforms ensure that all home owners continue to have the benefit of a six year warranty for major defects and two years for minor defects."
Fire safety and waterproofing will be considered "major elements" of a building under the changes.
"By clarifying the nature of major defects, this key reform will save owners, and owners corporations, tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs incurred in protracted litigation," claimed Mason-Cox.
"We are also introducing changes to the licensing system, making it harder for unscrupulous builders to illegally 'phoenix', which is where a failed company starts up under a new or similar name to avoid scrutiny by consumers or NSW Fair Trading."
Individuals who were once involved in companies closed by their directors to avoid their obligations will now risk having their licence applications denied or their licenses revoked.
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Home owner rights still strong, despite building reforms: NSW Fair Trading

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Past contestants Deanne and Darren Jolly, Matt Di Costa and Kim Owen and Bec and George Douros will compete for a place in The Block's upcoming South Yarra season.
It has been long rumoured that Deanne and Darren, pictured below, were participating in the show in 2015, after winning just $10,000 for their efforts on The Block Glasshouse. The three bedroom apartment they renovated this year sold for $1.38 million, with a reserve of $1.37 million.
<img src="/images/2014/11/24/darren%20and%20dee.jpeg" alt="">
<a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/melbourne-diy-favourites-deanne-and-darren-jolly-will-be-back-on-the-block/story-e6frfmq9-1227131758851" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">News Corp</a> reports the couple, along with Perth's Matt and Kim and Melbourne's Bec and George will be participating in an elimination round to decide which returning Blockheads will compete against new contestants.
There will be four teams in total, each renovating a three storey apartment in Darling Street, South Yarra (pictured below).
<img src="/images/2014/10/24/block%20octagonal%20oct%2024%20five.jpg">
The season, titled The Block Triple Threat, will air in early 2015, with Channel 9 beginning their marketing campaign on television and social media last night, releasing promotional materials featuring the returning contestants and a 10 second television spot.
<img src="/images/2014/11/11/mattkim.jpg" alt="">
Matt and Kim received a $250,000 profit when they renovated a whole level South Melbourne apartment in The Block Sky High, which they sold for $1,205,000. The couple, pictured above, have since gone on to appear in their own renovation show, Matt and Kim to the Rescue.
<img src="/images/2014/11/11/becgeorge.jpg" alt=""> Bec and George, pictured above, also renovated a full level apartment on the Sky High series, coming third behind Matt and Kim's second place effort, with a $242,000 profit. Their third storey apartment sold for $1.455 million. It appears the buyers of the apartments renovated by both Sky High alumni were both investors, with both apartments <a href="/expert-insights/investing/three-of-the-six-block-sky-high-south-melbourne-apartments-for-rental">listed for rent </a>earlier this year.
Since last appearing on The Block, Bec has created a design blog, Bec Marks the Spot, which reports George has been developing property.
Meanwhile, it appears even more former Blockheads will be coming out of the woodwork, with a new show titled <a href="/expert-insights/building/renovation-rumble-showdown-with-the-block-contestants-v-house-rules-contestants">Renovation Rumble</a> in the works. The show, said to be produced by The Block's Watercress Productions and confirmed by Channel 7, will pit former Block contestants against former House Rules contestants. It has a probable 2015 air date.
Pictures courtesy Channel 9.
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Former Block contestants return for The Block Triple Threat

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Real estate agency Barry Plant presented an $115,000 cheque to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Australia at its inaugural 'I wish to be' gala.
An additional $27,000 was raised on the night, to go towards fulfilling wishes from children with life-threatening medical conditions.
All 80 Barry Plant offices donated a portion of their commissions from properties sold in October, as part of Barry Plant's 'Wishtober' initiative.
Barry Plant chief executive Mike McCarthy said the company considered how it could contribute to the community at a corporate level, forming the Barry Plant charity fund.
"When we explored ideas around how we could support Make-A-Wish, we developed the idea of Wishtober," said McCarthy.
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Barry Plant donates to Make-A-Wish Foundation

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A Grocon subsidiary has been fined $250,000 safety failures relating to the collapse of a brick wall in March 2013 which killed Alexander and Bridget Jones and Marie-Faith Woo.
The CFMEU is none too impressed by the fine, nor a tweet from Kat Grollo, wife of Grocon chief executive Daniel Grollo.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/CFMEU_CG/status/536635099039551488" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2014/11/24/tweet-nov-24-one.jpg" alt=""></a>
The CFMEU suggest Kat Grollo's tweet, posted the morning after Grocon pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to ensure a safe workplace, is in relation to the wall collapse.
In a statement on Friday, CFMEU Secretary John Setka said: "Grocon's guilty plea would bring more comfort to the families of the deceased if it wasn't cheapened by comments made by Mr Grollo's wife, who suggested this week the wall collapse was due to sabotage."
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Tweet of the day: CFMEU on Grocon's wall collapse fine

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The median price of a house sold in the October quarter was $615,000, according to CoreLogic RP Data. But what will that price actually buy?
The data house recorded a 1.8% increase in Melbourne house values over the quarter, with 9.2% growth over the past year. For October, Melbourne's median house price was $177,000 lower than Sydney's.
Property Observer looks to recent Melbourne sales to see just how far $615,000 will go in the city's housing market.
<ol>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/28-kenneth-street-preston/Property-Details-buy-residential-7806302" target="_blank">28 Kenneth Street, Preston, Vic</a>  <img src="/images/2014/11/24/1.jpg" alt="">
This three bedroom <a href="/news">Preston </a>house sold for $616,000 last week. Located 9 kilometres north of the Melbourne CBD, the home is within walking distance of Northland Shopping Centre and an eight minute drive to La Trobe University.
The house, situated on a 482 square metre plot, features leadlight windows, a brick open fireplace and a decked outdoor entertaining area.
Price: $616,000
Bedrooms: Three
Drive to CBD: 20 minutes
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-aspendale-117919899" target="_blank">44 Kubis Avenue, Aspendale, Vic</a>
 <img src="/images/2014/11/24/2.jpg" alt="">
Located in the bayside suburb of <a href="/news">Aspendale</a>, this three bedroom house sold for $620,000 last month. The home has two living areas, built in robes in all the bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house is situated in the centre of its 531 square metre plot, with a front and rear garden.
Price: $620,000
Bedrooms: Three
Drive to CBD: 40 minutes
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/3-karina-court-keilor/Property-Details-buy-residential-7856868" target="_blank">3 Karina Court, Keilor, Vic</a>
<img src="/images/2014/11/24/3.jpg" alt=""> 
Selling for $615,000, this bedroom house is located in <a href="/news">Keilor</a>, 20 kilometres north-west of Melbourne's CBD.
The house, situated on a cul-de-sac, the house has three bedrooms, including a master with walk in robes and en suite. There is a formal lounge, formal dining room and informal dining area next to the kitchen.
Price: $615,000
Bedrooms: Three
Drive to CBD: 25 minutes
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/mayfield-grove-altona-meadows/Property-Details-sold-residential-7646847" target="_blank">19 Mayfield Grove, Altona Meadows, Vic</a>
 <img src="/images/2014/11/24/4.jpg" alt="">
Currently a three bedroom brick house, this property with a town planning permit for four double storey townhouses sold for $616,500 earlier this month.
The house is advertised to rent at $400 per week, representing a rental yield of 3.4%. <a href="/news">Altona Meadows</a> is located 17 kilometres south east of the Melbourne CBD.
Price: $616,500
Bedrooms: Three
Drive to CBD: 23 minutes
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-taylors+hill-117402263" target="_blank">7 Elm Tree Close, Taylors Hill, Vic</a>
 <img src="/images/2014/11/24/5.jpg" alt="">
This four bedroom house sold for $605,000 last month. It has a formal lounge with cathedral ceilings, a study, open plan living and dining area, a butler's pantry off the kitchen, and a cinema room. The house sits on a 749 square metre allotment.
Price: $605,000
Bedrooms: Four
Drive to CBD: 28 minutes
</li>
</ol>
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What can you buy for Melbourne's median house price?

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In the aftermath of the Block Glasshouse auctions, theories about why some contestants made as little as $10,000 profit were abundant.
Just one season before, in <a href="/news">Albert Park's</a> Fans v Faves, all four teams received profits in excess of $500,000.
Most pointed to a particularly shallow buyer pool, thanks to what Property Observer called a <a href="/expert-insights/buying/not-enough-bidding-baby-boomer-buyers-to-boost-b-grade-location-in-the-block-glasshouse-2014-auction-results">"B-grade" location</a>, with little appeal to the cashed-up boomers that usually buy Block properties.
"For Sydneysiders it would be like flogging prestige apartments on Parramatta Road, Annandale, which has very nice houses away from its busy thoroughfare, though without the trams," wrote editor at large Jonathan Chancellor.
According to Michael Townsend, director of Hodges Real Estate St Kilda, an apartment's location on a main road may rule out certain buyers.
"I suppose when we look at apartments, there is definitely certain concessions placed on main road property locations," said Townsend.
"Definitely those on major thoroughfares, with noise and pollution."
<a href="/news">Prahran</a>'s High Street, where The Block Glasshouse apartments are located, has four lanes of traffic, with trams. Down the street is a hybrid car wash-burger diner; across the roads sits a Swinburne University campus.
While a main road location doesn't necessarily cut out buyers, Townsend explained, it will appeal to certain markets more than others.
"When we look at the apartment market as a whole, there are obviously price points and sub price points within that market place," said Townsend.
"There are buyers who definitely graduate towards main hubs and busy areas with cafe cultures and bars and restaurant areas," he said, with younger buyers and investors perhaps more interested in living among Prahran's busier strips.
But for buyers who are willing to spend the prices seen on Fans v Faves (as much as $2.47 million), a main street might not cut it.
"If someone's spending within $2 million on an apartment, they usually have very strict criteria," said Townsend.
"Avoid main roads if you can, avoid busy streets, avoid places with no outdoor space."
Upgraders with $2 million to spend are likely to have lived in areas with considerable room and amenity, Townsend said.
"Premium buyers – owner occupiers – are often coming out of a substantial home on a leafy backstreet," he explained.
"The might ask: 'Why would I sell out of leafy Hawthorn or Brighton or St kilda property? Why would i want to move out to a busy thoroughfare?'"
Those buyers, Townsend said, are more likely to move to a character home in suburbs like Albert Park, rather than an apartment complex in Prahran.
It seems there are certainly those who would pay to live amid the noise and activity of a main road – just not quite enough to make up for the money and time poured into The Block Glasshouse's renovated apartments.
You might also want to read:
<a href="/expert-insights/building/renovation-rumble-showdown-with-the-block-contestants-v-house-rules-contestants">Renovation rumble showdown with The Block contestants v House Rules contestants?</a>
<a href="/expert-insights/building/former-block-contestants-craft-new-careers-in-renovation">Former Block contestants craft new careers in renovation</a>
 
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Do apartments on main roads sell? Lessons from The Block

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BCS Strata Management has been named the owner corporation manager for the six Prahran apartments best known as The Block Glasshouse.
The Block's production team also appointed BSC Strata Management to manage its previous two ventures, South Melbourne's the Block Sky High building and Albert Park's the Block Fans v Faves development in the former Dux theatre.
General Manager of Business Development John Georgas said: "For the past 40 years we've enhanced community living. We can't wait to work with the new owners of one of Melbourne's most-watched and talked about properties.
The apartment block has a total of 3,500 square metres of floor space, with a carpark, lock-up storage and indoor common entrance area and lift access.
The Albert Park Block development had a substantial common area, with an indoor pool, lounge with televisions and lifts.
"We're looking forward to providing our services to a building which is sure to go down in history as a Melbourne icon," said Georgas.
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BCS to manage The Block Glasshouse

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Joel Robinson

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 52-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 52-storey tower, which has just shy of 250 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

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The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

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The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

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Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

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While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

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That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

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Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

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The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

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The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

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What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

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Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

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"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

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After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

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Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

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The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

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Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

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Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

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ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

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For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

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Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

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Jessie Richardson

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