The national housing market is starting to show signs of a peak, according to the SQM Housing Boom and Bust Report 2022.

But 2022 should see a turnaround in the unit rental markets and unit price growth could outperform that of houses.&nbsp;

&quot;With houses being overvalued, apartments are relatively affordable and are expected to be in greater demand from an expected rise in net migration from interstate and overseas with Australia&rsquo;s border now open,&quot; Louis Christopher, managing director of SQM Research said.

&ldquo;As 2021 draws to a close, the national housing market is starting to show signs of a peak.&nbsp;

&quot;Auction clearance rates have fallen from their highs amid record listings.&nbsp;

&quot;However, we may also be recording some seasonality and pent-up selling after vendors held off listings during the lockdown.&nbsp;

&quot;Nevertheless, we expect the market to peak in 2022, with further expected intervention by APRA, which could come as early as next month, halting the price momentum.&quot;

SQM Research&rsquo;s base case forecast is for property prices to rapidly slow from the current annual 20%-plus growth rates.&nbsp;

The research house expects a slower rate of price rises over the first quarter of 2022, followed by price falls as early as mid-2022.&nbsp;

The price falls will be led by Sydney and Melbourne houses, given a significant overvaluation.&nbsp;

&quot;These cities are the most are sensitive to even minor intervention by the banking regulator, the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) in home lending,&quot; SQM boss Louis Christopher said.

SQM Research forecasts Brisbane will record the largest dwelling price rises over 2022, with prices predicted to rise between 8% to 14%, with prices supported by expected strong interstate migration flows given relatively good housing affordability compared to Sydney and Melbourne.&nbsp;

&quot;This gain will nevertheless represent a slowdown compared to 2021 increases,&quot; he said.

&ldquo;If the Australian housing market does not slowdown by mid-2022, APRA will likely keep intervening in home lending until the market does slowdown.&nbsp;

&quot;We cannot afford another year of 20%-plus gains across the national housing market.&nbsp;

&quot;And so, to ensure a soft landing for the market, it is best we see additional intervention sooner rather than later to reign in property valuations.&rdquo;

SQM Research’s base case forecast is for property prices to rapidly slow from the current annual 20%-plus growth rates

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Apartment price growth could outperform house price growth in 2022: SQM

As we near the end of 2021, Urban reached out to glean some insights on the apartment market and what's in store over the next couple of years from Meriton's perspective.

We asked a few questions of James Sialepis, Meriton's director of residential sales, has been with the apartment developer for more than two decades. 
&nbsp; 
JC: How have you viewed the performance of the o​ff t​he plan market in 2021, and what are the strongest positive and negative factors that will influence outcomes in 2022 and 2023?

JS: The of​f the plan market has performed reasonably well throughout 2021 underpinned by a lack of supply, returning investors and owners looking to combine apartments.&nbsp;

The local investor market which traditionally prefers “Brand new” off the plan apartments (due to the higher depreciation benefits compared to second hand) has improved recently as rents continue to rebound and vacancy rates recover to pre-pandemic levels but overseas buyers continue to fall, which now contribute a very small % of total sales.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=8590 project_image_fid=71712]

The recent announcement by the Federal Government to open international borders to eligible visa holders allowing migrant and students into the country should see continued demand grow for both sales and leasing. 
&nbsp; 
JC: What trend has prompted your greatest enthusiasm for the apartment market? And what is the issue of most concern to you and or your buyers?&nbsp;

JS: Purchasers are definitely more attracted to mixed-use developments which include retail precincts, childcare centres and leisure facilities amongst residential.&nbsp;

More owner occupier demand from growing families is definitely exciting for Meriton.&nbsp;Our aim has always been to offer an experience to residents that is attractive, convenient and unique.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5873 project_image_fid=72323]

Families are attracted to a low level of maintenance and to the amenities within each of the developments such as parklands BBQ areas and playgrounds.&nbsp;

Enquiry and sales for three and four bedroom apartments has increased YOY and we expect this trend to continue. 
&nbsp; 
Rising interest rates or further macro prudential measures could dampen enthusiasm very quickly.&nbsp;

In early 2019, through some heavy hitting macro prudential measures, lenders were forced to curb their lending practices which restricted the flow of finance into housing.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7588 project_image_fid=72298]

Similar measures will have the same impact, but this time they could be coupled with rising interest rates which would be more dangerous. 
&nbsp; 
JC: Has urbanisation stalled amid the rush to the regions and what will it look like over the decade ahead?&nbsp;

JS: COVID posed many questions and the extended lockdowns were an opportunity for many to reassess their housing needs.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7974 project_image_fid=72339]

For some it was whether or not they should stay in Sydney or move into the regions but for many it was just a slight readjustment.&nbsp;

The readjustment included demand for apartments with study areas, extra space for a growing family and the need for better amenity within a development.

James Sialepis, Meriton's director of residential sales, has been with the apartment developer for more than two decades

Mixed-use development demand shows uptick in 2021: Five minutes with James Sialepis, Meriton's director of residential sales

ME&rsquo;s list of the top 20 places to invest is dominated by apartment and townhouse-focused buying in capital cities across the country.

The new research from ME Bank suggests landlords are best off investing in suburbs with new or upgraded transport links - with Woolloongabba topping the list.

Analysis of the best places to invest found NSW dominated the top 20 rankings, claiming nine spots, followed by Victoria and WA, with three suburbs each and Queensland with two.

Woolloongabba is located in Brisbane&rsquo;s thriving inner east.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=107345 project_image_fid=172023]

Woolloongabba is serviced by two train stations and the new Cross City Rail Project will provide a new line running directly under the suburb.

The report noted an exciting atmosphere in Logan Street.

Australia&rsquo;s top 20 best places to invest are:

1 Woolloongabba QLD Apartment 
2 Burleigh Heads QLD Apartment&nbsp; 
3 Five Dock NSW House 
4 North Melbourne VIC Apartment&nbsp; 
5 Rozelle NSW Townhouse 
6 Ellenbrook WA House&nbsp; 
7 Parramatta NSW Apartment 
8 Crows Nest NSW Apartment 
9 Preston VIC House 
10 South Melbourne VIC Apartment&nbsp; 
11 Yanchep WA House 
12 Waterloo NSW Apartment 
13 Coffs Harbour NSW House 
14 North Sydney NSW Apartment 
15 Pyrmont NSW Apartment&nbsp; 
16 Claremont WA House&nbsp; 
17 Mermaid Beach QLD Apartment&nbsp; 
18 Miami QLD Apartment 
19 Concord NSW House 
20 Fairfield QLD House

ME commissioned the new research from Ethos Urban, a national planning and urban economics consultancy, using qualitative and quantitative criteria.

The best investment prospect factors included how new transport infrastructure would re-shape the investment landscape across the range of suburbs; average rental yields; recent population growth; median prices; and average rental prices together with lifestyle appeal measurables such as the availability of coffee shops and cafes. &nbsp;

New South Wales&#39;s nine spots included Five Dock (#3), Rozelle (#5), Parramatta (#7) and Crows Nest (#8).

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108800 project_image_fid=179486] 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&ldquo;Key transport infrastructure projects like the Sydney Metro South West Project will enhance connectivity to the CBD from areas including North Sydney and Crows Nest, bolstering the already well-established apartment market and coffee scene,&rdquo; the report said. 
&nbsp; 
&ldquo;Five Dock, Rozelle, Parramatta, Pyrmont (#15) and Concord (#19) will significantly benefit from the high-speed, high-frequency metro line connecting them to the Sydney CBD.

Victoria claims three spots in the top 10 with North Melbourne boasting fourth position as the North Melbourne underground will connect with Melbourne Central, Melbourne University and Flinders Street, while incorporating in the Arden Street Precinct Structure Plan.

Preston (#9) just pipped South Melbourne (#10) with its connectivity to Albert Park, good investment returns and capital growth, and lively coffee culture.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5502 project_image_fid=155342]

There were three Gold Coast suburbs on the list including Burleigh Heads (#2), Mermaid Beach (#17) and Miami (#18).&rdquo;&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=99968 project_image_fid=159158]

WA secured three top 20 spots including the new growth area of Ellenbrook (#6), with its wineries and masterplan estate, then Yanchep (#11) and Claremont (#16) in Perth&rsquo;s leafy western suburbs which will benefit from the Claremont station upgrade, &quot;making it for a perfect residential apartment investment opportunity,&rdquo; the report noted. &nbsp;&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=93813 project_image_fid=178502]

New research from ME Bank suggests investing in suburbs with new or upgraded transport links

Woolloongabba apartment precinct pinpointed as Australia’s best investment spot: ME Bank

Stockland has put the first Green Star home to be certified by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) on the market at Stockland Waterlea.

It is in the masterplanned community in Rowville in south-east Melbourne. 
&nbsp; 
Launched by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) in August 2021, Green Star Homes is a new national standard to certify homes that meet healthy, resilient and climate positive criteria.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=21554 project_image_fid=61153]

Green Star Homes are designed to be highly energy efficient and powered by renewables. 
&nbsp; 
The Green Star Home, which will be finished around mid-2022, is a contemporary, architect-designed double-storey townhome. 
&nbsp; 
Ben Cantwell, National General Manager, Development Communities &ndash; Built Form, said it is fitting that the first &lsquo;Designed As&rsquo; Green Star certified home is at Stockland Waterlea, as it is one of the most sustainable residential developments in Australia having achieved a 6 Star Green Star Community rating in 2017.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=21554 project_image_fid=61165] 
&nbsp; 
&ldquo;Designed to achieve a 8.2 Star NatHERS rating, the all-electric Green Star Home will take this a step further, maintaining comfortable temperatures year round with even less reliance on heating and air conditioning to dramatically reduce the residents&rsquo; cost of living and environmental footprint,&rdquo; said Mr Cantwell. 
&nbsp; 
Many of the Green Star Home&rsquo;s innovations will be highly visible, like the uPVC double-glazed windows, which will insulate the home by keeping air tightly sealed within the household system.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=21554 project_image_fid=61154]

Other built-in innovations include the slab-edge insulation, a rigid foam insulation surrounding the home&rsquo;s concrete slab which prevents both heat loss and internal condensation that could lead to mould. The home is also designed to be draught-proof, while a Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system will provide the house with filtered air. 
&nbsp; 
Stockland will assess the house&rsquo;s performance for two years.

Many of the Green Star Home’s innovations will be highly visible, like the uPVC double-glazed windows

Stockland's greenest townhouses set for Waterlea masterplanned community in Rowville

The CommBank has forecast home price growth will moderate during the first half of 2022, peaking in late 2022 at around 7% higher than at the end of 2021.

Then in 2023 CBA predicts an &quot;orderly correction&quot; of about 10% which will come as CBA economists expect the Reserve Bank of Australia to normalise the cash rate to 1.25% by the third quarter of 2023 from from its current record low of 0.1%.

&quot;The Australian housing market is in the twilight of an incredible boom that has been fuelled by record low mortgage rates,&quot; said Gareth Aird, CBA&#39;s head of Australian economics.

&quot;The phenomenal lift in prices is not over yet given dwelling prices are still rising briskly in most capital cities.

&quot;But near term indicators of momentum coupled with the recent move higher in fixed rate mortgages suggest that conditions will moderate from here.

&quot;Interest rates become a headwind on property prices if they are rising. That is the place we believe we are moving towards over the next two years given our expectation for the RBA to commence normalising the cash rate in late 2022.&quot;

The price growth moderation and fall will follow huge price growth in 2021 with the bank suggesting home prices in Sydney will post a 27% jump and Melbourne a 17% rise in property prices in 2021.

Nationally house prices this year will rise 25%, compared with a 14% for apartments, CBA predicted.&nbsp;

But in 2023 apartment prices are forecast to decline 7%, less than the expected 10% drop in house prices, it forecast.

Around half of new lending was at fixed rates in October, recent data advised.&nbsp;

The 10% fall forecast by CBA is higher than ANZ&#39;s recent prediction of a 4% drop.

The Australian housing market is in the twilight said Gareth Aird, CBA's head of Australian economics

2022 to see slower price growth before 2023 housing price fall: CBA

A quarter of Australians have considered buying property with a ‘non-traditional’ partner including parents, siblings or friends, according to research from CommBank.

Affordability was the main driver, followed by the hope of buying a bigger/better property and spreading the financial risk if anything went wrong.

Commonwealth Bank’s Executive general manager of home buying Dr Michael Baumann said while rising house prices build wealth for incumbent owners, they also pose affordability challenges to first homebuyers looking to enter the market, and those looking to sell and upgrade. 

One in 10 respondents in the survey didn’t know it was possible, Baumann noted.

The data found that while price is the biggest barrier to entry for potential property buyers, it is also the biggest incentive – with over 60 per cent saying they are worried about being priced out of the market.

"Australians also feel pressure from friends and family, with 44 per cent of those property buyers who admitted to feeling pressure saying that the push comes from friends/colleagues who have already bought and parents/family who want them to buy," he said.

Pressure to buy combined with rising property prices has resulted in more than one third of Australians (37 per cent) to consider moving interstate/to a regional town to buy property in search of more affordable options that require less compromise on proximity to work or size of property.

CommBank has a Property Share borrowing option where co-owning borrowers guarantee each other’s home loan as security. 

Baumann said it was an innovative lending solution that help more get on to the property ladder.

“Property Share is a little known feature among customers but with growing challenges around housing affordability, it may be appealing to customers who are looking for new ways to be able to afford a property given the current market conditions.

"Property Share is another way we are helping customers who are struggling to save for a deposit by enabling them to split the cost of buying a house with friends or family while keeping their finances, ownership and repayments separate.

"Property Share gives borrowers the ability to support one another into the same property while providing confidence and protection of separate financial obligations."

Borrowers must guarantee each other’s home loan as security

CommBank puts co-owning on the home borrowers' agenda

Buxton Projects has purchased a park-front Malver​n East site for $10.5 million.

The 3987 sqm site at 50 Sycamore Street will likely become a townhouse project.

It was sold by Colliers agents Hamish Burgess and Joe Kairouz after offers closed in mid-October.

Set close to Waverley Oval, it was described as an &quot;unrepeatable and scarce development proposition in a quality inner eastern location.&quot;

Another site is currently for sale with approved plans and permits for seven 2-bedroom apartments and two contemporary 3-bed townhouses designed by Cactus Architects.

The 867 sqm site at 74 Chadstone Road, Malvern East is for sale through Thomson Malvern with a $2.5m to $2.7 m price guide.

Developers often face competition from local schools for sites.

In 2017 the site at 385-387 Wattletree Road, Malvern East was sold for $12,650,000 to Caulfield Grammar.

The 2230sqm site opposite Central Park, delivered the two vendors a $5650 a square metre windfall.

The site sits within the popular Stonnington municipality

Buxton Projects secures Malvern East townhouse site 

Byron Bay&rsquo;s sustainable master-planned community Harvest, by Tower Holdings, will be the biggest house and land release in Byron in decades.&nbsp;

It will feature 149 energy-efficient homes set on a 150 acre property.

Every home will include water tanks, solar panels, electric vehicle chargers and Tesla home batteries. 
&nbsp; 
Existing bushland within site will be retained and enhanced through rehabilitation works.&nbsp;

The site plan will also conserve 38.4 hectares of existing vegetation, including 2.9 ha of existing frog habitat, to preserve endangered species of Wallum Froglet and Wallum Sedge-Frog.&nbsp;

<img alt="" height="600" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/byron_bay_townhouses.jpg" width="1200" />

The community will have a strict &lsquo;no dogs and cats as pets&rsquo; rule to further protect native wildlife.

Terry Agnew&rsquo;s Tower Holdings paid $7m for the then-farming zoned parcel in 2014 with his then partner Villaworld hoping for a 300-lot estate.
 
&nbsp; 
Two of Australia&rsquo;s leading building companies, Metricon and Brighton Homes, have designed Harvest&rsquo;s homes on the site off Ewingsdale Road.

Knight Frank agent Adam Ross will be heading the sales in conjunction with Byron Bay First National&rsquo;s Chris Hanley and Su Reynolds who marketing the initial batch of homes, expected to sell for over $3 million each. There will be a 10 lot auction on December 18.

The last big estate launch was in 2015 when the late John &#39;Strop&#39; Cornell sold his 40 plus Fig Tree Fields, Ewingsdale building blocks, with buyers then designed their own homes.

Metricon and Brighton Homes have designed Harvest’s homes

Harvest, Byron Bay to have 149 energy-efficient houses

First-time buyers in NSW are overwhelmingly looking to buy a home rather than an investment property, according to exclusive research by InfoTrack.
 
The latest InfoTrack Property Market Update revealed 84 per cent of first-home buyers in NSW purchased as owner occupiers.

Some 47 per cent sought a house and 37 percent went for a strata property.

Another 15 per cent were buying vacant land with the plan of becoming an owner occupier.
 
The data also showed that the majority of first-home buyers said they would consider paying an average of $600,000 to $700,000 for a home – the top of the threshold to avoid expensive stamp duty fees in NSW.
 
“This strategy tells me these buyers are savvy and want to make the most of every exemption available to them. While it does limit property choices, it ultimately drives first-home buyer behaviour and lightens the load at settlement time when the costs come together,” according to InfoTrack CEO John Ahern.

Ahern noted throughout 2021 that first-home buyer activity has been in decline after peaking in March. 

Mr Ahern said despite this decrease, those getting into the market know just what they want.

“Buying a first home in a location based on affordability seems to be step one towards owning a property in a more desirable location. 

"Given the recent hike in property prices, securing a first home can really set buyers up with healthy capital gains in a relatively short timeframe. 

"It’s also a sensible move that offers them an opportunity to think about what their second property purchase might look like,” he said.

Over the past 12 months, a majority of first-home buyers in NSW (55 per cent) made their property purchase alone, or only listed one name on the title. 

“What I see when I look at this data is that property ownership is an attractive investment strategy regardless of whether you purchase independently, or jointly with others. It also indicates that there are more individuals with higher disposable incomes who can afford to buy their first home self-sufficiently,” Mr Ahern said.



The data showed that the majority of NSW first-home buyers said they would consider paying between $600,000 to $700,000 for a home 

NSW first time buyers prefer owner occupying rather than investment

Melbourne&#39;s top apartment sale in the past week was an off m​arket deal in the Eastbourne complex in East Melbourne.

The 1104/296 Victoria Parade apartment fetched $2,337,500.

It sold through Caine Real Estate agents Peter Hannon and Toby Campbell.

The 138 sqm apartment in the Mirvac project designed by architects, Bates Smart first sold off the plan in 2017 at $1,905,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1003 project_image_fid=15327]

The marketing of the parkside block commenced in 2016 ahead of its 2019 completion.

It boast hotel-style amenities such as a 24-hour concierge, pool, spa, gym, yoga-pilates room, private lounge, wine cellar, dining room, theatre room and business centre.

Melbourne&#39;s second highest advised sale was a twonhouse at 30a Park Crescent, Caulfield North which fetched $2,310,000.

The third priciest was a townhouse at 6 Mills Street, Albert Park.&nbsp;

The off market sale was apartment 1104 in the Eastbourne complex

$2.3 million Mirvac-built Eastbourne resale tops Melbourne's weekly apartment sales list

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

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

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

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

Jonathan Chancellor

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