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Melbourne recorded the greatest quarterly lift in dwelling values of any Australian capital city, according to the August RP Data CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index.
Dwelling values in Melbourne were up 6.4% for the quarter to August, ahead of the 5.0% increase recorded in Sydney. However, on a monthly basis, Sydney had the greatest dwelling value increase, with a 1.8% increase recorded last month. Melbourne saw an 0.8% increase in dwelling values over August.
According to RP Data, Melbourne's median dwelling price for August was $523,750.
<img src="/images/2014/09/01/rp-data-sept-1-one.jpg" alt="">
Source: RP Data.
The city's dwelling values are now 6.9% above their previous peak, and 19.5% up from the most recent market trough. Over the past 12 months, Melbourne's homes have increased in value by 11.7%.
The median price of a house in Melbourne now sits at $570,000, while the median unit price is $460,000. House prices increased by 6.6% in the three months to August, with a 12.4% increase recorded by RP Data over the past year.
Unit price growth has been slightly more modest, with a 5.2% quarterly increase in unit values and a 6.2% rise on an annual basis.  
Despite a 10.9% increase in dwelling values across the capitals on a yearly basis, only Melbourne and Sydney the only two capital cities to record double digit price growth. According to RP Data Research director Tim Lawless, Melbourne and Sydney's housing markets are responsible for the "two tier" market conditions.
"Over the latest growth cycle we have seen Sydney dwelling values increase by 27% and Melbourne values up by 19.5%," noted Lawless.
"Sydney and Melbourne were also the strongest performing cities during the 2009/10 growth cycle. Since the beginning of 2009, we have seen values rise by a cumulative 50.1% and 46.1% respectively in Sydney and Melbourne.
"Looking at the remaining state capitals over the same time frame, the next best performer was Perth where values are now 15% higher, followed by Adelaide at 9.9%, Brisbane with 5.3% and Hobart where dwelling values are actually 1.5% lower."
He predicts that home prices are likely to continue to increase in the next quarter.
“Considering the ongoing high rate of auction clearance rates, a generally rapid rate of sale and the ongoing low interest rate environment, it’s likely that dwelling values rise even further over the next three months," said Lawless.
Rental yields are lower in Melbourne than in any other capital city, with houses offering 3.2% yields and units offering 4.2%.
Lawless notes that Sydney's gross rental yields have fallen to 3.6%.
"In Melbourne, where rental yields are even lower, we have seen gross yields fall by 32 basis points over the year to reach 3.2% gross," he said.
"With yields so low in the cities where values are seeing the largest capital gains, it is clear that investors remain very much focussed on value growth rather than yield.”
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Melbourne records strongest August 2014 quarterly growth: RP Data

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Saving for a deposit - particularly on a single income - is a difficult task.
If you've cut back all you can but desperately want to purchase your own home, it can be done for less than you think.
A $25,000 home deposit may be tempting, but the reality is more difficult than it seems.
If you're only putting down $25,000 for your deposit, it's likely that you're only paying a 5% or 10% deposit, rather than the 10% to 20% that many people prefer.
Policies will change between lenders but if you're borrowing more than 80% of the value of your property, you'll most likely be required to pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). LMI protects your lender against a loss if they sell your home after you default - essentially making up for the additional risk they take on when increasing the proportional value of your loan.
If you want to put down a small deposit, budget in your LMI payment. The two major LMI providers in Australia, <a href="https://www.genworth.com.au/borrower-centre/homebuyer-tools/lmi-premium-estimator/?gclid=CO2R6M2yprgCFQMwpAodTjQASA" target="_blank">Genworth</a> and QBE LMI, both offer calculators to help you budget in the additional cost. (For more on LMI, <a href="/expert-insights/investing/less-than-a-20-deposit-the-8-things-you-need-to-know-about-lenders-mortgage-insurance-lmi">see this article</a>.
While your LMI will most likely cost less than an additional 10% deposit, remember that you are not exchanging that sum for equity in your home - once your LMI payment is gone, it's gone forever - and you'll still have to pay that extra 10% you've dodged now to your lender later on (with interest).
Though buying a home with a $25,000 deposit now can speed up the home buying process, keep in mind the benefits of waiting until you're more financially secure before you purchase a home. It may be the case that <a href="/expert-insights/buying/the-10-signs-that-you-may-not-be-ready-to-buy">you're just not ready to purchase yet</a>.
And while it's probably the biggest financial hurdle you face in purchasing a home, the <a href="/news/vic/how-to-work-out-how-much-buying-a-home-costs">deposit isn't the only cost associated with buying a home</a>. 
But if you do have $25,000 in the bank that you're itching to invest, what can you buy? Assuming you need to pay a 10% deposit (and the bank will approve your loan), Property Observer has tracked down some bargain buys. For each of these homes, a first home buyer could expect to pay an additional $3,060 LMI premium, according to Genworth.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-vincent-117792651" target="_blank">254 Palmerston Street, Vincent, QLD</a></li>
</ul>
<img src="/images/2014/08/29/palmerston%20aug%2029.jpg" alt="">
Vendors are accepting offers in the mid-$200,000s for this three bedroom Townsville Queenslander. The currently rented house is within walking distance of the Vincent primary school and shopping centre, and is set on a 731 square metre block.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-carlton-117792195" target="_blank">523/800 Swanston Street Carlton Vic 3053</a></li>
</ul>
<img src="/images/2014/08/29/carlton%20aug%2029.jpg" alt="">
If you want something close to an urban centre, this one bedroom apartment in Melbourne's inner city is on the market for $180,000 plus. Tenanted until February next year at a 9.3% yield ($1,439 per month), the apartment is a ten minute walk to the CBD. However, it's micro sized, with only 32 square metres of floor space.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-wa-east+perth-117538663" target="_blank">22/45 Adelaide Terrace East Perth WA 6004</a></li>
</ul>
<img src="/images/2014/08/29/east%20perth%20aug%2029.jpg" alt="">
Another snug apartment is on offer in East Perth, with an asking price of $245,000. The 33 square metre studio apartment is currently rented out at $320 per week.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-scone-114888183" target="_blank">37 Scott Street Scone NSW 2337</a></li>
</ul>
<img src="/images/2014/08/29/scone%20aug%2029%20one.jpg" alt="">
This two bedroom weatherboard house in the Hunter Valley comes with a price guidance of $230,000. Set on a quarter acre block (1,012 square metres), the house has a lounge room with a separate dining area that could be converted to a third bedroom.
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What can you buy with a $25,000 deposit? 

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If you're about to start your search for your first home, don't worry.
All that stands between you and your first dwelling of your own is figuring out a budget, getting loan approval, determining the best area for your lifestyle and investment ambitions, the other buyers and the price negotiation process. Oh, and plenty of open home inspections.
Thankfully, the open home inspection is the most fun part of the process. This is the part where you get to explore someone else's home (never underestimate how satisfying a good stickybeak can be) and imagine your own future. That shelf full of cookbooks - wouldn't it look good with the cabinet you inherited from your grandmother? And that rug is ugly, but you spotted a really great one last weekend. And that mantle would be terrific for all your travel photos.
Before you know it, you've gotten carried away. And on the drive home, you suddenly can't remember exactly how big that second bedroom was, whether there were tiles or lino in the kitchen, or how high the ceilings were.
It pays to be prepared for an open home inspection. Here's Property Observer's step by step guide to attending an open home.
<ul>
<li>Prepare a checklist </li>
</ul>
Before you head off, prepare a checklist of things to look for at the open for inspection. There will be vital aspects of the home are things you're not willing to budge on - this could include the minimum number of bedrooms, the size of the backyard, a double garage, or a separate laundry. 
Your negotiable items are ones that you're curious about but aren't dealbreakers. Is the home close to a school? In the shadow of an industrial plant? Can your neighbours see into the property? 
Finally, there are aspects that might seem superficial at first but could really make a difference down the track - things like ceiling height, aspect and natural light, layout and floor materials are all important, as are noise levels. 
By preparing a checklist before you step foot in a property, you'll allow yourself to take out some of the emotion of inspecting a home. 
If making your own checklist seems daunting, <a href="https://advice.realestateview.com.au/buying-investing/ultimate-first-home-buyers-guide/12/" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">check out this one from realestateVIEW</a> - it'll be particularly handy for keeping your homes straight when you have a few under your belt.
<ul>
<li>Gather your things</li>
</ul>
In addition to your checklist, bring along a copy of the listing, with any particular points marked out that need further following up with the agent.  A suburb report with median prices might be handy if you're neighbourhood hopping, and your ID is often required by the agent. 
Bring along a camera (your smartphone will do) to help jog your memory later on and a tape measure, with a pen and pad (or phone) to take notes on, are also very handy on the day. 
Even if you have good spacial awareness, take along the floorplan - it's much easier to walk through a home with one eye on the floor plan than it is to look over the floor plan and try to recall how each room fits plan later on.
<ul>
<li>Stickybeak around the street</li>
</ul>
Remember, you're not just hoping to buy a home in a vacuum. You're buying a house on a particular street in a particular suburb. If you have time, build in 15 minutes before the open home to take a walk down the street and through the main strip of your potential new neighbourhood. 
The suburb cruise can be more illuminating than you might think. If you want to buy into a suburb with a good school or great cafes, try taking a walk between your prospective home and those areas. If your child will have to traipse through a poorly lit park to get home, the house's location might not be as good as it first seemed.
If there's no secure parking on the property, check out the street - is there plenty of room for you to park your car? Does the street look well lit and secure?
Article continues on the next page. Please click below. 
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<ul>
<li>The outside</li>
</ul>
While street appeal isn't everything, check out the exterior of the property and the landscaping. If there's a spectacular garden, keep in mind that you'll need to maintain it once its in your possession. 
Think about what's appropriate for your family - if you have young children or pets, you will have to keep fencing in mind, for safety and privacy.
Keep an eye out for any rotting wooden cladding or peeling paint as well - fixing those problems up will cost you money down the line.
<ul>
<li>Speak to the agent</li>
</ul>
While you don't want to seem too peachy keen, it's often good to have a quick chat to the agent so you're on their radar. They'll take your name and number and will often want to see your ID as well.
<ul>
<li>Kitchens</li>
</ul>
The heart of the home and one of the more expensive areas to make improvements to down the line, the kitchen is an important area to check out. Some important things to take note of:
<ol>
<li>Materials: Splashbacks, benchtops and flooring - make sure it's easy to maintain and suits your personal style.</li>
<li>Layout: If you have a big family or entertain often, a small galley kitchen might not cut it. Make sure there's enough space for your fridge (with plenty of room to swing the door open).</li>
<li>Cooktops and ovens: Keep in mind that electricity is more expensive than gas.</li>
<li>Dishwashers: Is there an existing dishwasher, or room for one if you need it down the line?</li>
<li>Storage solutions: Make sure there's enough room for all your pots, pans, plates and plastic tupperware.</li>
<li>Rangehoods and fans: Check out the noise level and efficacy of the rangehood - more importantly, make sure there's a rangehood in the first place. They're difficult and sometimes impossible to install retrospectively.</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>Bathrooms</li>
</ul>
Another expensive area of the home to re-do, bathrooms are worth getting right. 
Make sure there are enough bathrooms in the house (particularly if you have a growing family) and decide whether it's important to have a toilet that's separate to the main bathroom. 
Tiles should be easy to clean, and a bath is pretty vital if you're planning to have young kids. The bathroom should be well ventilated (check the fan - without good ventilation, hazardous mould can grow quickly) and have enough storage space and power points.
If there's no separate laundry, your washing machine will need to go in the bathroom. Make sure there are washing machine taps, room for a dryer if you use one, enough space for your washing machine and an adequate sink.
<ul>
<li>Living and dining areas</li>
</ul>
Check the layout of your living and dining areas - is it open plan? If you have children, could you watch them play in the living room from the kitchen or your workspace? 
Look for power points, phone cables or ports for internet connection and television connections, and make sure you'll be able to figure out a tidy and space efficient way to arrange your furniture and entertainment devices.
Also keep heating and cooling in mind - is there a simple reverse cycle air conditioning unit in the living room? Think about whether this will cut it in the height of summer or the middle of winter, particularly given the building materials and level of light in the home.
<ul>
<li>Bedrooms</li>
</ul>
Keep an eye out for outlets, layout and size and lighting. Think about how you use your bedroom. Is there enough storage space for your clothes? If you needed to get another storage unit for new clothes or your partner is moving in with you for the first time, will there be enough room then? Is there adequate light if you like to work in your bedroom, and room for a desk?
For children's bedrooms, make sure they're easy to clean and close to your room, particularly if you have very young children that you may need to attend to during the night. Check the windows on your bedrooms to make sure they're easy to open and secure.
<ul>
<li>Garage spaces</li>
</ul>
One person's "secure parking" is another person's "tiny backyard with barn-style gate that opens on to an alley". If you have a vehicle which you need to keep secure, make sure there's adequate garage space - wide enough for your car, with a working door and enough space for your tools, bikes or workbenches.
<ul>
<li>On your way out</li>
</ul>
Make a note of any discrepancies between the home and the listing information, and be sure to raise them with the agent, either at the inspection or later on the phone. Thank the agent, and make sure you have his details to contact him later.
<ul>
<li>Back home</li>
</ul>
Don't think all the work is done once you've returned from the open inspection. If it seems like the property is a serious prospect, go back over the notes you've made and highlight any questions you want to ask the agent or a building inspector. 
If that seems like a lot of work for a house that you might not be interested in, think again. Even if the house is off your radar, keep an eye on it and how much it sells for eventually - every open home you go to will give you a better idea of the market which holds your future home.
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Step by step guide to attending an open home

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The Australian Bureau of Statistic (ABS) Construction Work Done figures for the June quarter show that building work done rose 2.0% in the three months to June, with residential building work increasing 3.6% to a trend estimate value of $13.379 billion.
Construction work in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania has now risen in three consecutive quarters, while Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia all recorded declines in construction work for the quarter.
Work done in Queensland has fallen for two consecutive quarters. In South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, construction work has been decreasing for three quarters.
In the Australian Capital Territory, construction work done increased this quarter, after two years of declines in construction work.
With private new residential building work up 3.2% in the quarter, particularly driven by detached house construction, Housing Institute of Australia (HIA) economist Diwa Hopkins noted that major renovations work wasn't faring so well.
“A closer look at these preliminary results shows that the detached house segment was the key driver of growth in residential building during the June 2014 quarter, compared with the March quarter when multi-unit building led the charge," said Hopkins. Building work for new houses contributed 1.6 percentage points to the 2.2% increase in total residential building work done, according to HIA.
“These developments are largely in line with what we have been expecting of the current new home building cycle; that larger improvements in detached house building activity would follow in the wake of the previously strong growth experienced by the multi-unit segment of the market," explained Hopkins.  
“Unfortunately, conditions in the major-renovations segment of the market remained subdued, with the value of this work done declining by 2.4% during the June 2014 quarter.
“National accounts figures will reveal the full story on the renovations market, showing the value of both major and smaller jobs. Data from the March 2014 quarter was displaying tentative signs of improvement and obviously we’d be hoping for this to continue in the June quarter, notwithstanding the less than auspicious results from today’s data release,” she concluded.
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Residential building work up, but major renovations sluggish

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Wharf's Entrance will be the latest residential project marking Mirvac's westward journey along the southern bank of the Yarra River.
Due to begin construction in 2015, the four-hectare Wharf's Entrance site will comprise 246 residences, anchored by Forge, a 30 level apartment tower.
In addition to Forge's 228 apartments, seven Cargo home offices will be on offer, along with 11 Wharfside Residences - up market riverfront homes.
Wharf's Entrance is the fourth chapter of Mirvac's decade-long southside story, which began with the five tower Marina Precinct. Then came the Park Precinct, with the Yarra Point and Array towers, the second of which is still under construction, followed by the 82-home River Precinct.
“Wharf’s Entrance is the final piece of the puzzle at Yarra’s Edge and will cement the precinct as Melbourne’s premier waterfront living community,” said group executive residential for Mirvac, John Carfi.
“What we have created over the past 15 years is a neighbourhood of 2,500 people that values great design and embraces a lifestyle by the water, much like the world’s greatest cities do,” he said.
“We expect that as Wharf’s Entrance is the final offering in this community, demand for the final stage will be high.”
<img src="/images/2014/08/28/photo4.JPG" alt="">
Mirvac's mark on the Yarra. 
In total, the seven towers and River Precinct homes make up 1,244 residences, with 2,500 residents. When Wharf's Entrance is completed, there will be 1,490 Mirvac residences on the Yarra.
Delivering a community the size of a substantial regional town is a responsibility Mirvac design director Michael Wiener takes seriously. With Wharf's Edge, he worked to expand the diversity of apartments on offer, with standard small one bedroom apartments sharing a tower with larger "warehouse style" studio residences.
Following heavy public criticism of Melbourne's <a href="/expert-insights/buying/new-melbourne-suburbs-come-with-big-promises-but-will-the-infrastructure-eventuate">"soulless" Docklands precinct</a>, Mirvac is tasked with creating residences that interact with the public and respond to the city's culture. To this end, Weiner has worked with materials that speak to Wharf's Entrance history, including recycled timber "totems" on the exterior. The lobby will feature a nod to the project's geography, with a fish tank populated with native "pre-contact" Yarra fish and flora.
The Forge tower will have winter gardens scattered over the northern city-facing side, with the smaller south facing apartments all including winter gardens. The apartments range in size from 50 square metres to 150 square metres.
Wharf's Entrance will also include a communal recreation facility at the base of the Forge tower, with a pool, gym and cafe open to the public. The Wharf's Landing sound garden will allow children to play with chimes, gongs and bells.
The Wharfside Residences, with four-bedrooms across four levels, range from 332 square metres to 493 square metres, including the balcony. They also include personal lifts.
Cargo Home, their home office design, will cover three levels with either three or four bedrooms and will range from 275 square metres to 354 square metres.
Carfi said the company was "thinking from a pedestrian perspective".
"When you think about Melbourne, you think about livability and 'walkability'," he said.
Mirvac will begin marketing Wharf's Entrance residences next month, with a schedule that includes so-called "tower hoppers" (repeat buyers), local buyers and offshore buyers, who represent about 30% of the Yarra's Edge customer base.
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Mirvac continues westward along the Yarra with Wharf's Entrance

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A commercial office building at 2-6 Bowes Street (pictured above) in Canberra's Phillip was recently launched after undergoing a significant refurbishment to improve its energy efficiency.
The building, owned by boutique property fund manager Quintessential Equity, is targeting a 5-star National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) energy rating. The company recently acquired two other commercial properties in Canberra, 14 Moore Street and the Optus Centre in Civic.
We spoke to Russell Bullen, head of Property at Quintessential Equity, about energy efficiency in the commercial property space.
How has the demand for "green" office spaces changed over the past ten years?
It's certainly evolved significantly in that time. I think the whole "green movement" gained a lot of momentum, and it was certainly assisted by the government's changes to legislation around disclosure.
If you sell or lease a building, you now have to disclose your NABERS  energy rating.
Up until the changes, it was really dependent on market forces. It was up to tenants to really demand energy efficient buildings, or really up to the landlords, off their own backs, to disclose. So once the legislation came in, it provided more accountability around energy efficiency - if you had a building with poor energy efficiency, but didn't have to disclose it, there wasn't much of an incentive to improve that.
I think that's probably been the biggest change in that time period.
What are some elements that make commercial office buildings "green"?
Probably one of the things that gets forgotten is management.
And one of the biggest improvements in energy efficiency, and reducing our carbon footprint, is good management. We have a national engineering manager whose main focus is just that. That is probably one of the biggest impacts that you can make to a building - making it operate efficiently.
Apart from that, you can introduce things that are very costly, in terms of plant and equipment. You can improve heating and chilling and make that more energy efficient, and also use computer building management systems to improve efficiency.
What are the benefits of energy efficient office buildings to investors and tenants?
From a tenant's perspective, the operating costs are less.
We've got a project in Parramatta, where we were awarded Best Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Project by the Energy Efficiency Council. We've seen the electricity costs in that building fall by more than a third from work that we did. We were able also to achieve a four and a half star NABERS energy rating there.
The reduction of cost is a real and tangible benefit, and you also of course have an environmental benefit.
But also buildings that have a higher NABERS rating have a greater level of comfort and reliability, which is better for landlords because it improves tenant retention. From a landlord or investor's perspective, if you can make a building run efficiently, reliably and comfortably, you're going to retain tenants for longer.
Outside of Canberra, are there places where energy efficient office spaces are in greater demand than others?
If you had to say one location where energy efficient buildings were more in demand, it probably is Canberra. In Canberra, over two thirds of tenant demand is from the government (either Commonwealth or ACT). They actually have requirements within their leases that buildings have to achieve certain levels of energy efficiency.
Outside the ACT, in general, CBDs where there are large corporations who also have efficiency targets also show strong demand.
What role do you predict "green" innovation and energy efficiency will play in the commercial property market in 10 years time?
It's a difficult question, because there was certainly a strong impetus for energy efficiency, but when the GFC [global financial crisis] happened, there was a focus on cutting costs. And that's the thing with achieving energy efficiency - there is an upfront capital cost.
But if you take a 30,000 foot view, it's inevitable that it will continue to grow and get more traction. Disclosure obligations aren't going to go away. Companies are more and more focussed on their costs, and that's only going to continue in terms of ongoing operations. Outgoings are a significant part of companies' operating costs - so energy efficiency is not going to go away.
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Q&A with Russell Bullen of Quintessential Equity

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NAME: Charles Farru-Hill<img src="/images/2014/08/27/Charles-Farru-Hill-profile.jpg" alt="" style="float: right;">
POSITION: Associate director, facilities and commercial property management
COMPANY: Raine &amp; Horne Commercial
OFFICE LOCATION: Subiaco
How long have you been in the industry? 
17 years
What’s happening in the area you specialise in?
We are having to work harder in retaining tenants and owners are still reticent about upgrading their properties to make them more sustainable.
Describe the most interesting commercial property you have worked on? 
An old office building in Freo, Did a NABERS Energy assessment and a tenancy lighting assessment as the property was going up for sale. Because of its age the building performed badly and I put forward a plan of action to improve the buildings performance. In the end the property was sold before we could actually start the project.
What are the ingredients to being successful in your job? 
Patience, good humour, numerous and being analytical
What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most? 
Undertaking NABERS assessments on buildings and advising clients how the performance off their buildings can be improved to benefit both them and their tenants. Then working to achieve those goals.
Where would you invest a spare $750,000? 
In one of the new industrial estates in northern suburbs of Perth
Which football team do you support? 
Western Force and The Harlequins (Rugby Union is the only real football code!)
What’s your favourite app or techno gadget? 
Leasa by RICS, an excellent comparison tool for determining energy costs of larger buildings and tenancies.
How do you use social media?
I utilise both Twitter and <a href="https://au.linkedin.com/pub/charles-farru-hill/23/60/b1b" target="_blank">LinkedIn </a>to maintain a professional presence on social media
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In profile: Raine & Horne Commercial's associate director, facilities and commercial property management, Charles Farru-Hill

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Tonight's episode of Location Location Location Australia proves that relaxing retreats aren't always so relaxing to purchase.
Airing tonight at 8:30 on the Lifestyle Channel, the episode follows Veronica's efforts to help couple Julian and Nazreme, two correction officers.
The couple are looking for a rural property where they can raise their baby Lincoln close to his two half brothers in New South Wales' Camden.
They're after an "architecturally interesting" house with four or more bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a minimum of one acre of space. 
Their maximum budget of $1 million has Veronica doubting that they can get the rolling country estate they're after.
Meanwhile, Bryce is helping out serial renters Briony and Max, IT professionals who live in North Melbourne. The couple is after a sea change, and want to make their weekend getaways permanent. 
They're keen on Phillip Island, and are after a three to four bedroom house with plenty of outdoor space where they can entertain. Briony and Max don't mind a home they have to renovate, and they have a budget of $400,000. 
As always, tonight's episode promises to showcase the compromises buyers must make on their quest to find a new home.
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Location Location Location tonight: Semi-rural retreats

Terry Ryder's top 10 Queensland hotspots

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Last night, The Block Glasshouse revealed the place where all the magic happens - the master bedrooms.
Each team unveiled their main bedroom and walk in robes in all their muted tone glory. As always, some fared better than others.
The judges raved over Maxine and Karsten's light and airy master offering, pictured below, awarding it 28 points out of a possible 30.
<img src="/images/2014/08/25/m1.jpeg" alt=""> Judge Shaynna Blaze was particularly pleased with the room's pair of abstract orange paintings by Thierry B., even complimenting an apparently complimentary orange pillow that sat between them, despite <a href="/news/art-styles-for-apartment-d-cor-lessons-from-the-block">her advice in previous seasons</a> not to match furnishings entirely to artwork.
Interior designer Darren Palmer was a fan of the room's bronze mirror, while Belle Magazine's Neale Whitaker declared the space simple and elegant.
If Shaynna was impressed by Thierry's (not chocolate) orange, she was positively bananas for the seemingly banal detail of a laundry chute she found in a high-end, multi-storey apartment's walk in wardrobe. But we were informed that the concept had not occurred to any other contestant this season, and so Shaynna's reaction was deemed reasonable enough.
Carlene and Michael fared almost as well, with a score of 27.5 from the judges for their room pictured below. Unfortunately, half a point can cost you $10,000 on The Block. The couple remain the only team in the competition who have failed to win a round so far.
<img src="/images/2014/08/25/mastercarlene.jpg" alt=""> Despite the pokey size of their master bedroom, with a walk in robe that really didn't meet the definition (of no fault of their own), the judges were big fans of the room, with Darren Palmer saying it felt like a hotel suite and Shaynna calling it sexy. Neale was pleased with the amount of light the room invited, thanks to its position along the apartment's light void, and praised Carlene's bed dressing skills.
In third place came Simon and Shannon, with 27 points. Judges were impressed by the amount of space available in the room, the surplus of which the boys used as a small sitting area, with two chairs and a coffee table.  The room (pictured below) also had a bench running the length of the window which was wide enough to perch on while you read the paper.
<img src="/images/2014/08/25/master%20shannon.jpeg" alt=""> Neale noted the clever architectural details the brother inject into every room, with this one featuring a false column and contrasting gyprock paneling to create visual interest on what otherwise would be a plain white space. Darren explained that those details are relatively cheap - budget renovators, take note.
The "biggest ever scandal on The Block" is barely worth mentioning - boy leaves phone under bed, records people who are already being recorded by someone else, gets in less trouble than a first time truant.
Darren and Dee were rushed away before the rooms could be revealed, due to their sick daughter. Host Scott Cam corralled the kind contestants together to help finish the room (pictured below) off in the D's absence. As he said, "family comes first, but also, The Block family comes first". Bob Day would be proud.
Darren and Dee's Block family didn't do too bad a job of it, with the judges awarding the couple 25 out of 30.
<img src="/images/2014/08/25/darrenmaster.jpg" alt=""> They were especially enamoured with the gas fireplace Darren and Dee installed in their room, a detail Shaynna said suited the couple's style thus far. What didn't suit their style was the walk in wardrobe, a tall (good) black (bad, next to their provincial white panelling) imposing (but still "sexy") offering. Unfortunately, the couple didn't pick up any points for matching their wardrobe to their neighbours' - every single walk in wardrobe this week was black.
But some wardrobes, and master bedrooms, were even more unpopular that Darren and Dee's. Chris and Jenna came in last place yet again this week, with 23 points for their room (pictured below). The couple were caught worshiping a golden calf in the form of a copper wall and neglecting other important details - for example, the exposed screws and so-called unimpressive materials in their walk in wardrobe, which Shaynna found disappointing given that Chris is a cabinet maker.
<img src="/images/2014/08/25/masterchris.jpg" alt="">
 As for the overwhelming copper wall itself, the judges weren't too keen despite its high dollar value, with Neale noting that it made the other furnishings look cheap by comparison. Though the couple tried to up the luxe with timber floors, none of the three were particularly big fans, saying that plush carpet would have been a better choice against the metallic monster.
The couple countered with an accusation that the judges care more about cushions than architectural details, with no comments on their raked ceilings or exposed trusses. They might be onto something - after all, you can't sell a ceiling on The Block Shop.
This week, the teams tackle their stairs, laundry and powder room spaces.
All pictures courtesy of Channel 9.
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The Block room reveals: Martyrs, mavericks and master bedrooms

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

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>

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]

Jessie Richardson

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