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<p>The talented Three Birds team - who got together as their husbands once played for the Parramatta Eels - have secured the sale of their fifth residential renovation project.</p>
<p>It is a little home in Baulkham Hills that sold at $1.35 million earlier this month.</p>
<p>The Oakland Avenue house was bought by the team - Lana Taylor, Bonnie Hindmarsh and Erin Cayless - for $922,500 in May. </p>
<p>After nine weeks, the former fibro suburban house was transformed into a cottage-style home with extension.</p>
<p>It was marketed by Jane Booty at Century 21 as a "lust-worthy home with unparalleled street appeal."</p>
<p>It sold to a young couple from Strathfield who have family nearby.</p>
<p>"The couple are as gorgeous as the house… it’s a perfect fit," Booty said.</p>
<p>The Three Birds Renovations have worked their makeover magic previously at Northmead, Castle Hill and Beecroft since kicking off their new career in mid-2014.</p>
<p>Lana Taylor, Bonnie Hindmarsh and Erin Cayless had long spent time on the NRL game day sidelines, exchanging tips about paint colours, carpet samples and new bathrooms while their husbands Jason, Nathan and Nathan ran around for the Parramatta Eels.</p>
<p>The trio are planning on renovating three homes a year in The Hills district.</p>
<p>The Baulkham Hills offering came with a new designer style kitchen and a bathroom, featuring the striking black freestanding bathtub from Caroma.</p>
<p>Outside they added a tiered deck, with new alfresco area overlooking the landscaped rear gardens.</p>
<p>The project was watched by their more than 90,000 dedicated followers on Facebook and Instagram. They also filmed their own digital show in partnership with realestate.com.au.</p>
<p>The fibro had been owned by the Coddington family, who tragically lost two sons — Tim and Sam — in a plane crash while on a surfing holiday in Manila in 2002.</p>
<p>Their mother approached Bonnie when she wanted to sell the home and asked them to purchase it and bring it back to life. </p>
<p>It's back story had Bonnie Hindmarsh engaged to the seller's son, Sam who passed away on a surfing trip when he was in his 20s. </p>
<p><em>This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.</em></p>
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Three Birds Renovations score Baulkham Hills flip success 

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<p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/68060/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"></p>
<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>It came as no surprise that the Reserve Bank left the cash rate at its historic low 1.5 percent on Tuesday. Governor Philip Lowe’s statement contained most of the boilerplate phrases: “the economy is growing at a moderate rate”. “Labour market indicators continue to be somewhat mixed.” “Measures of household and business sentiment remain above average.”</p>
<p>But it was the following paragraph that piqued my interest:</p>
<p>“Low interest rates have been supporting domestic demand and the lower exchange rate since 2013 has been helping the traded sector. Financial institutions are in a position to lend for worthwhile purposes. These factors are assisting the economy to make the necessary adjustments, though an appreciating exchange rate could complicate this.”</p>
<p>Not to go all deconstructionist, but it’s worth parsing those words carefully. “Low interest rates have been supporting domestic demand”: i.e. the usual effect of cheaper borrowing costs has worked. </p>
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<p>The “lower exchange rate has helped the traded sector”: i.e. a lower dollar makes our exports cheaper for foreigners to buy. </p>
<p>“An appreciating exchange rate could complicate this” underlines the long-held concern the RBA has in the Aussie dollar rising above about 75 US cents. This could happen, for instance, if the US Federal Reserve fails to raise rates as aggressively as markets expect, or if there is a continued flight out of Europe to Australia’s relative safety and positive interest rates.</p>
<p>The fact that the RBA is so concerned about this highlights how interconnected Australian monetary policy is with international events and policy. And in a world as uncertain as the one we are in, it’s dangerous to make strong predictions about the future course of monetary policy.</p>
<p>The most interesting sentence of all in Dr Lowe’s statement is:</p>
<p>“Financial institutions are in a position to lend for worthwhile purposes.” </p>
<p>This is a comment about the ability of Australian banks (essentially the big four) to take risk. That is, a comment about the strength of their balance sheets. Assuming it’s accurate, this is both comforting and important. If business and consumer confidence do pick up further, and businesses want to invest, then they should be able to borrow to do so, according to Dr Lowe.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, building approvals fell sharply in September, down 8.7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis – well beyond market expectations. Housing approvals were up slightly, 2.3 percent, but apartment approvals fell 16.3 percent. That sounds bad, but the apartment sector is volatile, and there have been concerns about oversupply – especially in Brisbane and Melbourne. Still, overall approvals are down 6.4 percent on last year.</p>
<p>That’s no good for housing affordability, but it also has a monetary policy implication. If it fuels a continued escalation in housing prices – especially in Sydney and Melbourne, then the RBA may well feel constrained to cut interest rates in the event that they otherwise might want to.</p>
<p>There was mixed news about the Australian services sector – the largest and most economically important in the economy – with the Australian Industry Group’s Performance of Services Indicator up 1.6 points to 50.5. This is well below levels of around 56 before the financial crisis, and below the 54s recorded in mid 2015.</p>
<p>The ABS reported Thursday that the trade deficit fell 35% in September to A$1.227 billion, in seasonally adjusted terms. This was largely due to the recent increase in commodity prices – something over which Australia has no control, and which are devilishly difficult to forecast going forward.</p>
<p>Overseas, there was positive news from China where both the official Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) and the unofficial Caixin index came in at 51.2, ahead of expectations and indicating expansion (as numbers above 50 do). The official PMI is more relevant for large, state-owned enterprises, while the Caixin index is useful for understand medium-sized business. Often they don’t align, so this may be an early signal of a general positive trend. Stay tuned in coming months.</p>
<p>In fact, that will depend in no small part on whether Dr Lowe’s comment about banks in Australia having the balance-sheet capacity to lend is true in China. There are serious concerns about household indebtedness and the quality of bank balance sheets in China. A sustained increase in the PMI might be a hint that things are not quite so bad. September, however, is one datum point.</p>
<p>The Australian economy continues to show some positive signs, but there are pockets of weakness and cause for concern every month. And these aren’t concentrated to one sector, like the mining sector. In recent months there have been (and continue to be) legitimate concerns about: the labour market, business confidence, consumer confidence, inflation, growth, and more.</p>
<p>It looks like it will be some time before we see a consistent run of data indicating that we should have confidence in a genuine recovery.</p>
<p><em><span class="fn author-name">Richard Holden is p</span>rofessor of economics and PLuS Alliance Fellow, UNSW Australia and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-holden-118107" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
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Australia not immune from global market uncertainty

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<p>GUEST OBSERVER </p>
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<div class="column">The end of the mining investment downturn, which remains the dominant dynamic shaping Australia’s investment project pipeline, is in sight.</div>
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<br>The 5 remaining mega gas projects under construction, with a combined value of $172bn, are due to be completed by end 2017.</div>
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<br>This will see the value of definite mining projects (those under construction or committed) fall sharply, down from $201bn currently.</div>
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<br>The other key dynamic, albeit less powerful, is the upswing in public transport projects.</div>
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<br>Definite public transport projects are now valued at $100bn. This represents a sharp increase on a year ago, up $45.4bn, including a $5.3bn rise in June <br>State by state, there is a stark divide. The mining investment downturn is being felt in Qld, WA and the NT.</div>
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<div class="column">While it is the state governments in NSW and Victoria, which are benefitting most from the housing boom, that are leading the way on public investment. </div>
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<div class="column">Australia’s investment project pipeline was $812.8bn in September 2016, as reported by Deloitte Access Economics in their Investment Monitor. The database includes 1,102 investment projects valued at $20mn or more.</div>
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<br>This is $9.7bn lower than three months ago. Projects completions were worth $6.8bn in the quarter, while project deletions were $18.1bn, including the cancelling of the ‘possible’ $12bn Port Hastings development in Victoria.</div>
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<br>44 new projects were added to the database, with a value of $6.3bn.</div>
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<img src="/images/2016/11/04/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-04%20at%208.45.58%20AM.png" alt=""><br><p>Cost revisions added $8.9bn, including WestConnex, which increased to $16.8bn from $11.5bn following an updated strategic business case.</p>
</div>
<div class="column">The value of definite projects (under construction or committed) increased to $434.7bn in September, +$3.6bn on June and $28.2bn above a year ago.<br>Note, the Wheatstone LNG project, valued at $29bn in the database, has reportedly experienced a cost blowout of $6.6bn.<br><br>Note: the database includes the full value of a project until it is completed or deleted. This differs from the ABS notion of the ‘work pipeline’, which is the value of work yet to be done on projects currently under construction. </div>
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<br>Non mining: Publis transport leads the way</div>
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<br>The transport &amp; storage sector has re-emerged as a driver of the investment pipeline as state governments, particularly in NSW and Victoria, commit to new public transport initiatives.</div>
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<br>Total non-mining projects are valued at $432.2bn. Of that, $233.8bn are at the definite stage, which is $4.6bn higher than in June and $43.5bn above the level of a year ago.</div>
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<br>Definite public transport projects are now valued at $100bn. This represents a sharp increase on a year ago, up $45.4bn, including a $5.3bn rise in June.</div>
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<br>NSW leads the way in public transport projects, with $37bn worth under construction and a further $18.5bn at the committed stage.</div>
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<br>Victoria has $22.1bn in definite public transport projects, although $13.3bn of these are at the committed stage (the $11bn Metro project starts in 2018).<br>For services (retail, finance &amp; business services, accommodation, community services) the definite project pipeline is $64bn, up from a 2010 low of $39bn but flat over the past two years. Projects at the planning stage total $46bn, including a number in the tourism sector, which is a potential bright spot. </div>
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<img src="/images/2016/11/04/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-04%20at%208.51.08%20AM.png" alt=""><br><br>Investment pipeline: State by state<br><br>The investment project pipeline on a state by state basis is heavily influenced by the mining investment downturn (WA, Qld &amp; NT) and by the public transport upswing (NSW &amp; Vic).</div>
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<br>In the mining state of WA, definite projects total $124bn, a figure that will fall sharply as $102bn in gas projects are completed by the end of 2017.</div>
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<br>In Qld, definite projects are at $70bn, including the $25bn Origin LNG project, due to be completed by late 2016. Key will be whether tourism projects, still at the planning stage, eventually proceed.</div>
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<br>In NSW, the pipeline of definite projects has climbed to $81bn, up from $56bn a year ago, with the prospect of additional transport projects to progress from the planning stage.</div>
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<br>In Victoria, projects under construction is relatively stable at $27bn, although the projects at the committed stage now stands at $15bn.</div>
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<img src="/images/2016/11/04/Screen%20Shot%202016-11-04%20at%208.54.07%20AM.png" alt=""><br><p>In South Australia, the value of definite projects has risen to $13bn, up from $8bn a year ago, boosted by public works. </p>
<div class="page" title="Page 17"><em>Andrew Hanlan is senior economist for Westpac and can be contacted <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://au.linkedin.com/pub/andrew-hanlan/3/222/430" target="_blank">here</a>. </em></div>
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End of the mining investment downturn in sight: Westpac's Andrew Hanlan

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<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>SMSF trustees are still consistently investing in assets they understand and can trade easily.</p>
<p><span>Australian Taxation Office (ATO) figures show that although there might be a </span><span>bias towards Australian investments, a lack of diversification across asset classes is typically not an issue. </span></p>
<p><span>When critics of </span><span>SMSF </span><span>trustees’ asset allocation point to a lack of diversification, they </span><span>often highlight the absence or low allocation to assets such as international equities, forgetting SMSFs are still getting exposure to these assets via </span><span>ETF’s, listed and </span><span>unlisted trusts and managed funds.</span><span><br></span></p>
<p><span>The investment returns that SMSFs have consistently generated over the years speak volumes for the capacity of trustees to manage their investment portfolios. </span></p>
<p><span>Based on ATO statistics, for example, for the eight years from the 2007 financial year to the 2014 year, SMSF returns outperformed all other alternative superannuation arrangements for four of those years. </span></p>
<p><span>Although in recent times, the predominant asset allocation of SMSF trustees has not </span><span>performed as well compared to alternative funds, it is still within reach. APRA statistics for the 2015 financial year, for example, show the return for SMSFs after expenses (excluding contributions) to be 5.7 percent. This compares with non-SMSF returns of 8.5% for the same period. </span></p>
<p><span>These returns do not support the suggestion that SMSF trustees are dangerously </span><span>out of their depth or incompetent in investing the</span><span>ir members’ superannuation </span><span>balances. It also has to be noted that many SMSFs are in pension phase and therefore have more defensive investment portfolios to suit their needs</span><span>. </span></p>
<p><span>The asset allocation of SMSFs has remained largely consistent over the years, rejecting the suggestions that they continue to load up on bank stocks or residential property. </span></p>
<p><span>As the two tables below show, residential property has only inched up half a percentage point in that five-year period (2011-16), while Australian equities have dropped one percentage point. </span></p>
<p><span>All the evidence suggests SMSF trustees are prudent, investing in asset classes </span><span>where they have knowledge, or giving the responsibility to a manager where they </span><span>lack expertise. It’s hardly surprisin</span><span>g really </span><span>– it is their money</span><span>. </span></p>
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<p>For the year to 30 June 2016, SMSF assets totalled $622 billion. The percentage break-up of the same asset classes were:</p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Australian listed shares </span><span>– </span><span>30% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Australian residential property </span><span>– </span><span>4% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Australian commercial property </span><span>– </span><span>11% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Cash &amp; term deposits </span><span>– </span><span>26% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Overseas investments in total </span><span>– </span><span>1% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Listed &amp; unlisted trusts &amp; other managed investments </span><span>– </span><span>19% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Debts &amp; loans </span><span>– </span><span>2% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Other investments </span><span>– </span><span>7% </span></p>
<p><span>The year to 30 June 2011 told a similar story. Assets totalled $402 billion in the SMSF sector. The percentage break-up of the same asset classes were: </span></p>
</li>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Australian listed shares </span><span>– </span><span>31% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Australian residential property </span><span>– </span><span>3.5% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Australian commercial property </span><span>– </span><span>11.5% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Cash &amp; term deposits </span><span>– </span><span>28% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Overseas investments in total </span><span>– </span><span>1% </span></p>
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<p><span>  </span><span>Listed &amp; unlisted trusts &amp; other managed investments </span><span>– </span><span>18% </span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span>  </span><span>Debts &amp; loans </span><span>– </span><span>1.5% </span></p>
</li>
<li>  Other investments – 5.5%</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Peter Hogan is head of technical at the SMSF Association and can be contacted <a href="https://www.smsfassociation.com" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
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SMSFs continue to invest in assets they understand

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<p>The 1870s mansion Ripplevale, on Cape Otway Road in Birregurra, has been listed for sale.</p>
<p>The owners have allowed helicopters, carrying visitors lunching at nearby Brae, to land in their paddock.</p>
<p>Brae has put Birregurra on the map, near Colac.</p>
<p>Brae recently ranked 65 in a prestigious list of the world's best restaurants; one of only two in Australia to make the cut.</p>
<p>Great Ocean Road Real Estate agent Ian Stewart has the listing of the <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/4100-cape-otway-road-birregurra-vic-3242-2012293800" target="_blank">1870s mansion.</a></p>
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Birregurra trophy home, Ripplevale listed for sale

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<p><span>Buckley’s Bar at Opera Quays on the Sydney Harbour waterfront promenade is set for public auction, 25 November through Cushman &amp; Wakefield.</span></p>
<p>The property, 1A Macquarie Street, East Circular Quay sits between the Sydney Opera House and Circular Quay Ferry terminal and is 408 sqm across three levels.</p>
<p>The property has a net annual rental income of $809,738 with a 5 year lease in place which began May 2014 and has the option to extend for a further 4 years and 9 months.</p>
<p>Anthony Bray, Cushman &amp; Wakefield director, sales &amp; investments, said despite yield compression in the NSW retail property market, we have seen flagship retail assets of this nature performing strongly.</p>
<p>"The recent sale of the former Bates Milk bar site on Campbell Parade on Bondi Beach was sold at a 3.14 percent yield, and demonstrated the fierce competition for investment in Sydney’s prime retail and tourist precincts," he said.</p>
<p>"Buckley’s Bar is strategically located with a large outdoor seating component with direct water views, with these features making this retail strip one of the most tightly held precincts in the Sydney CBD.</p>
<p>“We are expecting interest in Buckley’s Bar will be significant, underpinned by limited supply of premium retail investment opportunities in the inner city coupled with income security for a potential purchaser over the medium to long term."</p>
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Buckley's Bar at Circular Quay up for sale

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<p>One of the apartments renovated in the 2004 series of The Block at Manly has come up for sale for November 26 auction.</p>
<p>It is an upstairs Whistler Street apartment renovated by the Melbourne couple Matt Martino and Jane Newton.</p>
<p>When <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-manly-110011433" target="_blank">3/77 Whistler Street</a> first sold for $795,000 as part of the Channel 9 televised auction, there was no profit for the couple as the dimly lit, winebar style unit sold at its $795,000 reserve.</p>
<p>The three-bedroom pad has since been sold at $820,000 in 2007 and at $785,000 in 2012.</p>
<p>Belle Manly agent Ben Leary is suggesting $1.5 million.</p>
<p>The unit was designed with the polished concrete and floating floor in the kitchen space that has stood the test of time.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12.16px; line-height: 1.3em;">Restaurant manager Matt married his public relations executive partner Jane during the series.</span></p>
<p>Their apartment was bought by property developer Cathy Pearce who went onto be listed on the BRW Rich Listed worth at $19 million.</p>
<p>She declared bankruptcy in 2009 and moved back to Adelaide where she published a book, Riches to Rags in 2010.</p>
<p><em>This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.</em></p>
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Whistler Street Manly block apartment listed

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<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>We need to get creative on the solutions to housing affordability.</p>
<p>Focusing on first home buyer and retiree activity is critical to literally get NSW moving again as the figures are so compelling.</p>
<p>Sales activity in many parts of Sydney has dropped by over 30 percent in the past 10 years, whilst the population has grown by over 15 percent.</p>
<p>This is not a good story and when you consider we are slipping behind on new construction at the rate of 5,000 dwellings per year, a fast turnaround is critical. We need to greater flexibility in town planning to provide the types of dwellings that will entice people to move, not just the high rise jungles solution currently on the table.</p>
<p>Vibrant integrated communities around infrastructure and transport hubs are essential to long term community benefit, where low cost housing solutions and both retail and commercial interests are side by side with mixed low, medium and high density residential living. It’s not hard to achieve but it requires vision and resolve to make it happen and happen quickly.</p>
<p>Queensland and Western Australia provide interesting examples as to how Governments can address affordability. Both states lowered stamp duty, reducing a major deterrent to people relocating, which saw people moving to new homes more frequently as their living requirements changed.</p>
<p>The net impact on Government revenue overall was negligible but the opportunities for first home buyers were given a boost.</p>
<p>By assisting those living in largely empty family homes, perhaps close to retirement or on a pension, Government has an opportunity to free up stock.</p>
<p>With presumably no mortgage these people are asset rich, however under the current system if they wanted to sell, all they would achieve is a reduction to their asset base and possible loss of entitlements by having too much money in the bank.</p>
<p>If the cost for people to move to smaller homes was reduced, ideally by removing stamp duty for retirees and ensuring sale proceeds aren’t means tested, more people would bring their properties to market and thereby increase supply.</p>
<p>Encouraging new supply is a central solution to addressing the affordability issue. While the NSW Government is making a conscious effort to provide new housing, this attracts investors because the depreciation on a new build is significant.</p>
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<p>Without discouraging investors, who play an important role in a diverse market, we need to investigate new ways to help those serious about a first home purchase. Simply waiting for prices to drop is insufficient and may lock would-be first home buyers out of the market forever.</p>
<p>For too long both state and federal governments have stuck their heads in the sand on the affordability issue - and when the market takes off like it has the past three years they “cry wolf” and start looking for band-aid solutions.</p>
<p>There is no singular quick fix because the horse has bolted in NSW due to 10 years of inaction.</p>
<p>However there is still hope and it will need a co-ordinated response from both federal and state governments working with the construction industry and all property industry stakeholders to get an equitable duty and tax regime in place to incentivise more activity in both established and new housing.</p>
<p><em>John Cunningham is president of the REINSW and can be contacted <a href="https://www.reinsw.com.au/imis15_prod/" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
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We need to get creative on the solutions to housing affordability: John Cunningham

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<p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/67227/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"></p>
<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>Great cities and neighbourhoods always have a particular kind of urban intensity - what we might call the “character”, “buzz” or “atmosphere” that emerges over time.</p>
<p>While unique in many ways, great cities also have certain things in common. One way to understand these properties is to think about a city’s “urban DMA” - its density, mix and access.</p>
<p>We’re still in the early days of understanding how cities work. But we do know that creative, healthy, low-carbon and productive cities all depend on intensive synergies of density, mix and access. </p>
<p>When we talk about “urban DMA”, we’re talking about the density of a city’s buildings, the way people and activities are mixed together, and the access, or transport networks that we use to navigate through them.</p>
<p>Like biological DNA, urban DMA doesn’t determine outcomes, but establishes what is possible. A low density, largely mono-functional cul-de-sac (such as a shopping mall or a gated enclave) is an anti-urban form. Minimum levels of concentration, co-functioning and connectivity are necessary for any kind of urban life.</p>
<p>The concept of urban DMA can be traced to the work of the late Jane Jacobs, whose book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” was written in the mid-20th century, when many great cities were being surrendered to cars and poor urban design.</p>
<p>Jacobs wrote of the need for “concentration”, “mixed primary uses”, “old buildings” and “short blocks”. We recognise this as urban DMA – “concentration” is density; “mixed use” and “old buildings” are the conditions for a formal, functional and social mix; and “short blocks” means “walkability” at a neighbourhood scale.</p>
<p>Jacobs’ key contribution was to focus on the city as a set of interconnections and synergies rather than things in themselves – a focus on the city as an assemblage, rather than a set of parts. While the language has evolved, our understanding of these vital synergies needs to be taken much further.</p>
<h2>Access</h2>
<p>Access is about how we get around in the city. How do we make connections between where we are and where we want or need to be? What are the access routes - are they organised in closed or open networks? How fast are they at different scales and for different modes of transport? How far can we get with a given time frame and with what mix of walking, cycling, car, bus, tram or train?</p>
<p>At a neighbourhood scale access is primarily about “walkability”; at larger scales we depend on a mix of cars, cycling and public transport. But access means nothing if there is nowhere to go – the synergy with density and mix is everything. </p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/11/03/image-20161101-15821-osie45.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="/images/2016/11/03/image-20161101-15821-osie45.png" alt=""></p>
<h4><span class="attribution"><span class="source"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Mix</span></span></span></h4>
<p>Mix is about the differences and juxtapositions between activities, attractions and people. It’s not about diversity as spectacle, but a means of enabling encounters and flows between different categories of people, buildings and functions. Mix is about the alliances and synergies between home, work and play; between production, exchange and consumption.</p>
<p>Like density, mix can be uncomfortable; it means proximity to different kinds of people and practices. It means a layering of old and new buildings, of large and small buildings, and of large and small organisations. </p>
<p>Mix is not an unmitigated benefit. Urban planning was largely invented to stop mixing - to prevent living with noise, smells and activities we don’t like. It means keeping where we live away from where we work and shop.</p>
<p>But that separation ceases to be helpful when the result is people living in suburbs with no shops, or working in suburbs with no transport. Great cities will have many different kinds of mix - a “mix of mixes” - each geared in turn to density and access.</p>
<h2>Density</h2>
<p>Density is not the same as intensity. When we don’t have the synergies of the DMA, we often get density without intensity.</p>
<p>There are dangers in an excess of some kinds of density, like the overcrowding of populations and the loss of light and air that comes with excessive building. There are many different kinds of densities - of residents, jobs, buildings, houses and street life. They interconnect, and they all matter. </p>
<p>The big question about density is: how much activity, how many people and how many buildings can be concentrated into one urban area? How close can we live to where we work or need to be? How many urban amenities, places and jobs can we walk or commute to? </p>
<p><a href="/images/2016/11/03/image-20161101-15816-gtpcg7.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<h4><span class="caption"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"><img src="/images/2016/11/03/image-20161101-15816-gtpcg7.png" alt=""></span></span></h4>
<h4><span class="caption"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Urbanity</span></span></h4>
<p>What is at stake here is the future of this great cauldron of productivity and creativity we call urban life. The 19th century British economist Alfred Marshall famously suggested that there was “something in the air” of a city that made it more economically productive - a phrase that is suggestive of an “atmosphere” and a “buzz” of urban intensity.</p>
<p>Much more than a simple clustering of people and buildings, urbanity is a concentration of intensive encounters and interconnections. And its benefits are much more than economic - they’re social, environmental and aesthetic.</p>
<p>If we want to build great cities, we shouldn’t develop formulae or copies of “best practice” from other cities. We should turn to our existing cities and ask three simple questions: </p>
<ul>
<li>How dense can we get yet remain liveable? </li>
<li>How mixed can we get while remaining safe and civil? And,</li>
<li>How easily can we get around in a healthy and sustainable way?</li>
</ul>
<p>Urban planning enables and constrains these dimensions of urban life. And unlike human DNA, urban DMA can be redesigned. If we want a healthy, creative, productive and low-carbon city - if we want “the buzz” - we need to reshape the urban DMA.</p>
<p><em><span class="fn author-name">Kim Dovey is p</span>rofessor of Architecture and Urban Design, University of Melbourne and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-dovey-235023" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
<p><em><span class="fn author-name">Elek Pafka is l</span>ecturer in Urban Planning and Urban Design, University of Melbourne and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/elek-pafka-128908" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>Both are authors for The Conversation.</em></p>
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What makes a city tick? Designing the ‘urban DMA'

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<p>GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>The September 2016 building approvals date, released earlier today by the ABS, shows some of the growing fears around the excess heat in the market for new apartments may be premature.</p>
<p>The data shows a massive turnaround in apartment approvals, from the strong growth recorded in the August data of 26.3 percent (year-on-year), to a reversal in the September data, to record a fall over 9.9 percent measured year-on-year.</p>
<p>Building approvals data has a tendency to be quite volatile when comparing results month by month, but this latest result is an example of how quickly the housing market can respond when market conditions change.</p>
<p>Talk of an emerging oversupply in inner-city apartments markets in Sydney, Melbourne and some parts of Brisbane has no doubt made developers and builders in these markets more cautious.</p>
<p>However, Master Builders would caution against being overly bearish on the prospects of inner-city apartment markets while auction clearance rates remain high, rents are growing and house prices continue to march forward.</p>
<p>On the government’s own estimates Sydney is projected to have a population of 6.4 million by 2036. On average, that would add 210,000 people to Sydney’s population each year, or pretty much the equivalent of the entire population of Hobart each and every year for the next twenty years.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, the RBA’s decision this week to keep interest rates on hold came with more jawboning of risks for the housing sector. While the rhetoric was more positive overall, particularly on the global economic outlook, there is a heightened level of concern around the impact a further reduction may have on house prices.</p>
<p>Master Builders agrees with the RBA’s sentiments.  While acknowledging the role interest rates have played in supporting a much needed boom in housing construction over the past couple of years, Master Builder would caution the Bank to carefully consider the impact that further reductions may have on some of Australia’s hotter housing markets in Sydney and Melbourne.</p>
<p><em>Matthew Pollock is national manager, housing, Master Builders Australia and can be contacted <a href="https://www.masterbuilders.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p>
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Fall in approvals points to peak in housing construction cycle

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.</p>

<p>Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.</p>

<p>Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.</p>

<p>Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.</p>

<p>"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.</p>

<p>"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]</p>

<p>For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.</p>

<p>Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;</p>

<p>All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.</p>

<p>Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.</p>

<p>"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]</p>

<p>The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.</p>

<p>"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]</p>

<p>Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.</p>

<p>The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]</p>

<p>Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.</p>

<p>Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]</p>


Joel Robinson

Skymark takes out 10-year Resilience Insurance LDI at Solis Cronulla

<p>Investors may soon find themselves with fewer reasons to buy established property and more incentives to look towards the new apartment market.</p>

<p>Proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions would see new and off-the-plan apartments retain access to the tax benefits, while established properties would miss out, creating a clear advantage for buyers purchasing newly built housing.</p>

<p>The policy direction aligns with what many developers have been saying for several years. Australia needs more housing supply, and governments are increasingly looking for ways to encourage investment into new stock rather than existing homes.</p>

<p>The challenge for investors is that suitable product is becoming harder to find.</p>

<p>For much of the last decade, one-bedroom apartments were the cornerstone of investor demand. They offered a lower entry price, strong rental appeal, and were a common feature across most apartment developments.</p>

<p>Today, the development pipeline looks very different.</p>

<p>Across both New South Wales and South East Queensland, developers are increasingly targeting owner-occupiers and downsizers, delivering larger two, three and four-bedroom apartments in response to changing buyer preferences. While one-bedroom apartments still exist, they now form a much smaller portion of many new projects.</p>

<p>That shift has created a shortage of investor-friendly stock, particularly in well-located projects close to transport, employment hubs and lifestyle amenity.</p>

<p>At the same time, rising apartment prices have pushed many new developments beyond the reach of traditional investors. On the Gold Coast and across South East Queensland, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find new apartments priced around the $1 million mark, particularly those offering strong rental fundamentals and long-term growth prospects.</p>

<p>We've rounded up four new apartment developments where investors can still secure a foothold in the market for around $1 million or less.</p>

<h2 data-end="1140" data-start="844">Flourish Soleira</h2>

<h2>Priced from: $1.07 million</h2>

<p data-end="1140" data-start="844">Popular Palm Beach developer Sherpa is soon to officially launch its newest local apartment development, Flourish Soleira.</p>

<p data-end="1140" data-start="844">The one-bedroom apartments in the building were only offered to first home buyers rather than investors, and all of those have been snapped up. The two-bedroom apartments will start from $1.07 million, and the three-bedrooms, still a good investment given the popularity of Palm Beach for owner-occupiers, starting at $2,045,000.</p>

<p data-end="1140" data-start="844">&nbsp;</p>

<p data-end="1140" data-start="844">[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370964]</p>

<p data-end="1140" data-start="844">Flourish Soliera will comprise 153 apartments across two buildings, connected by a skybridge, the first ever delivered in the suburb.</p>

<p data-end="1140" data-start="844">True to Sherpa's booming Flourish brand of apartment projects, Flourish Soleira will have extensive rooftop amenity across both buildings including a&nbsp;wellness centre with gym, work from home, yoga, pilates, a&nbsp;heated pool, private dining rooms, pizza oven and barbecues, basketball court, and golf simulator.</p>

<h2><strong>Corallo, Palm Beach</strong></h2>

<p><strong>Priced from: $841,500</strong></p>

<p>Nearby Flourish Soleira is Changfa Group's beachfront-inspired Corallo development. They still have some one-bedroom apartments remaining, priced from $841,500.</p>

<p>The 105-apartment project on Palm Beach Avenue is otherwise dominated by larger two and three-bedroom residences, many of which are aimed at owner-occupiers and downsizers.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=112194 project_image_fid=808]</p>

<p>For investors, the appeal lies in Palm Beach's continued transformation from a laid-back beachside suburb into one of the Gold Coast's most sought-after residential markets. Residents at Corallo will be within walking distance of Palm Beach's surf beaches, the recreational amenity of Tallebudgera Creek, and the increasingly popular collection of cafes, restaurants and boutique retailers along the suburb's central dining precinct.</p>

<h2><strong>Corner House, Stones Corner</strong></h2>

<h2><b>Priced from: $880,000</b></h2>

<p>One of only two Brisbane apartment developments to make the list with prices under $1 million is DeMartini Fletcher's Corner House development in Stones Corner.</p>

<p>One-bedroom apartments start from $880,000 within the 88-apartment development, providing investors with exposure to one of Brisbane's most established inner-south locations.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=149098 project_image_fid=330594]</p>

<p>Stones Corner has long been supported by strong tenant demand due to its proximity to major employment and education destinations. The suburb sits less than five kilometres from Brisbane's CBD and is within easy reach of the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Queensland Children's Hospital and several university campuses.</p>

<p>The project's location within a walkable urban village environment, surrounded by retail, dining and public transport infrastructure, continues to attract both professionals and healthcare workers seeking accommodation close to work.</p>

<p><strong>Parkdrive Apartments, Chermside</strong></p>

<p><strong>Priced from: $749,000</strong></p>

<p>The most affordable apartments across Brisbane's new and off the plan market are in Chermside where developer AusDev is selling one-bedroom apartments from $749,000, and two-beds from $929,000, at its recently launched Parkdrive development.</p>

<p>The development is strategically positioned in one of Brisbane's largest employment and retail precincts, placing residents within easy walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, St Vincent's Private Hospital Northside and the suburb's major bus interchange.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]</p>

<p>Already under construction and scheduled for completion in early 2028, Parkdrive benefits from Chermside's ongoing evolution into Brisbane's northern metropolitan centre. The suburb continues to attract significant public and private investment, supporting population growth and underpinning long-term rental demand.</p>

<p>For investors focused on yield and tenant depth, the combination of healthcare, retail and transport infrastructure within close proximity provides a strong foundation for occupancy and rental performance.</p>


Investors to turn to new apartments after Federal Government changes spark hunt for Queensland's best $1 million apartments

<p>A mix of Gold Coast locals, fly-in, fly-out purchasers from Sydney and Melbourne, and Brisbane-based families has driven early sales success at Broadbeach's newest apartment tower, Lumara.</p>

<p>The 26-level project, a joint venture between builder-developer 5Point Projects and Bourke Projects, comprises just 37 luxury residences and is attracting a buyer profile that is looking for exclusivity, above the most amenity-rich suburb on the Gold Coast.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150454 project_image_fid=364156]</p>

<p>Jamie Bourke, Director of Bourke Projects, says every buyer secured so far intends to use Lumara as a lock-up-and-leave residence, combining holiday use with the ability to work remotely when required.</p>

<p>“The size of the apartments, both half- and full-floor options, and the different zones within the floorplans, lends itself perfectly to dedicated home office setups and multi-generational family holidays,” Bourke says.</p>

<p>That flexibility has become a key drawcard for affluent buyers seeking a second residence on the Gold Coast without sacrificing the ability to conduct business away from their primary home base.</p>

<p>The absence of holiday letting within the building has also resonated strongly with purchasers.</p>

<p>“This type of buyer doesn't need to generate holiday rental income,” Bourke says. “They're paying for exclusivity, privacy and certainty around who their neighbours are.”</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150454 project_image_fid=366491]</p>

<p>The strong demand comes amid broader shifts in the high-end apartment market following the Federal Budget announcements in May.</p>

<p>“We were already seeing strong enquiry from high-net-worth buyers, but that has only accelerated since the policy changes,” Bourke says.</p>

<p>“A lot of those buyers are looking to place more capital into premium lifestyle assets rather than investment-grade stock that has been targeted by the Federal Government.”</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150454 project_image_fid=366486]</p>

<p>Designed by Cottee Parker, Lumara adopts a slender, sculpted form with an emphasis on natural materials suited to its beachfront setting. The architectural approach draws on coastal influences, with a palette of stone, timber and concrete selected for durability and the ability to weather over time.</p>

<p>Apartments are limited to three and four-bedroom configurations, with a maximum of two residences per floor through the mid-levels and a selection of full-floor and dual-level homes in the upper levels. All apartments are oriented to the north to maximise natural light, cross-ventilation and views across the ocean, city skyline and hinterland.</p>

<p>A two-level amenity offering is positioned high within the building on levels 20 and 21, conceived as a sky wellness retreat. Facilities include a magnesium pool, spa, sauna and steam rooms, alongside more social spaces such as a private dining room, resident lounge, workspaces and outdoor barbecue areas integrated with landscaped greenery.</p>

<p>The uppermost levels are reserved for larger-format residences, including several full-floor homes and a dual-level penthouse with its own private wellness features and recreational spaces.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>To give buyers confidence, 5Point and Bourke commenced construction ahead of the apartments launching to the market, a sure-fire way to prove they mean business, and the building will be delivered. They are targeting a 2028 completion date.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150454]</p>


Locals, interstate holiday makers, drive early sales at Lumara, Broadbeach's newest luxury apartment tower

<p>Often when it comes to purchasing property, the biggest barrier to entry is the deposit. Buyers of established homes typically aim for a 20 per cent deposit to avoid the added cost of Lenders Mortgage Insurance, while most property transactions require around a 10 per cent deposit when contracts are exchanged.</p>

<p>The off-the-plan market works differently, with buyers typically paying a deposit during construction and settling the balance upon completion. As completion approaches at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/fabbrica-fitzroy-369-gore-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">Fabbrica Fitzroy</a>, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pace-development-group">Pace</a> is making it easier for buyers to secure a residence through a deposit-matching incentive. Purchasers need only contribute a five per cent deposit*, with Pace matching the remaining five per cent.</p>

<p>The offer comes as Pace unveils a completed display apartment and townhouse, now available for inspection by appointment ahead of the project's Spring completion.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371009]</p>

<p>Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/winwood-mckenzie-architecture">Winwood Mckenzie</a> and landscaping by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/acre">Acre</a>, Fabbrica draws on Fitzroy’s industrial and manufacturing history, incorporating references to the former Argyle Shirt Factory and Life Savers Confectionery Company that once occupied the site.</p>

<p>The development comprises 85 residences, spanning low-maintenance apartments through to larger-format townhouses with private street access and double lock-up garages, a relatively uncommon offering in Fitzroy’s higher-density apartment market.</p>

<p>Pace says the project has been designed to appeal to buyers seeking inner-city convenience without sacrificing space, flexibility, or amenity.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371016]</p>

<p>Inside the residences, Winwood Mckenzie has focused on adaptable layouts and integrated detailing, with features including custom joinery, and concealed storage solutions. The material palette leans into warm, tactile finishes intended to complement the building’s industrial architectural language.</p>

<p>Fabbrica’s rooftop amenity is a key part of the project offering. Spanning around 800 sqm, the communal rooftop includes a private dining room, communal kitchen, lounge spaces, work-from-home zones, and outdoor dining areas overlooking the Melbourne CBD skyline.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371017]</p>

<p>Landscape architecture studio Acre has introduced a layered rooftop garden designed to soften the urban setting while creating a more communal environment for residents.</p>

<p>The Fitzroy location also positions residents within walking distance of Brunswick Street, Smith Street, parks, cafés, galleries, and public transport, while remaining only minutes from Melbourne’s CBD. The project has an enviable Walk Score of 96.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=139552 project_image_fid=371025]</p>

<p>Pace, which is also delivering the project as builder, has developed more than 100 projects across Melbourne over the past three decades. The vertically integrated approach has become increasingly common among developers seeking greater control over construction delivery amid broader market pressures affecting the apartment sector.</p>

<p>The strikingly contemporary Gore Street development is now around 70 per cent complete, with purchasers expected to move into their new homes in Spring 2026. A limited number of residences remain available under the current deposit match offer.</p>

<p><sup>*Conditions apply in relation to the deposit match offer.</sup></p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=139552]</p>


Pace offers five per cent deposit match at Fabbrica Fitzroy ahead of Spring completion

<p data-end="181" data-start="0">Sydney developer Hyecorp's roots on the Lower North Shore stretch back three generations, and that deep understanding of the market continues to shape where and how it develops today.</p>

<p data-end="484" data-start="183">From high-rise towers to boutique apartment projects, the family-run developer has built its reputation by focusing on a part of Sydney it knows intimately. Founded by Michael Abolakian in the early 1990s, Hyecorp is now led by his sons Stephen, Troy and Patrick.</p>

<p data-end="657" data-start="486">Stephen Abolakian, joint managing director alongside Troy, has spent more than two decades in the business, overseeing development, planning, finance, marketing and sales.</p>

<p data-end="806" data-start="659">Abolakian says the developer's disciplined focus on where it chooses to operate has been, and continues to be, one of Hyecorp's greatest strengths.</p>

<p data-end="871" data-start="808">“We know the buyer profile exceptionally well,” Abolakian says.</p>

<p data-end="1097" data-start="873">“The demographics between places like Willoughby, Chatswood, St Leonards and Roseville are very similar. There are nuances between suburbs and projects, but culturally and from a buyer perspective, there’s a strong overlap.”</p>

<p data-end="1169" data-start="1099">That buyer has historically been overwhelmingly owner-occupier driven.</p>

<p data-end="1434" data-start="1171">Unlike many Sydney apartment developers that have traditionally relied heavily on investor demand, Hyecorp’s projects have typically attracted downsizers, upsizers, rightsizers and family owner-occupiers seeking long-term homes rather than short-term investments.</p>

<p data-end="1533" data-start="1436">“Historically, investors have been a much smaller portion of our demand profile,” Abolakian says.</p>

<p data-end="1665" data-start="1535">“We design for owner-occupiers. We don’t design for yield, we design for comfort, amenity, family living and long-term usability.”</p>

<p data-end="1721" data-start="1667">That philosophy extends well beyond apartment layouts.</p>

<p data-end="1966" data-start="1723">From landscaping and communal gardens to shared amenities and circulation spaces, Hyecorp’s developments are designed around how people actually live, something Abolakian believes has become increasingly important in Sydney’s apartment market.</p>

<p data-end="2051" data-start="1968">“There was probably a period where having an approved project in market was enough,” he says.</p>

<p data-end="2154" data-start="2053">“There wasn’t as much competition and if you built it, buyers would come. That’s no longer the case.”</p>

<p data-end="2386" data-start="2156">“There’s more supply in the pipeline now, particularly with TOD precincts and low and mid-rise reforms opening up opportunities across Sydney. Buyers have more choice, so if you get the product wrong, they’ll simply go elsewhere.”</p>

<p data-end="2386" data-start="2156">[smartcode_project:default project_id=110379 project_image_fid=311393]</p>

<p data-end="2549" data-start="2388">The shift has forced developers to become more sophisticated in how they approach apartment design, particularly as owner-occupier expectations continue to rise.</p>

<p data-end="2678" data-start="2551">For Hyecorp, that means thinking beyond who the buyer is today and designing for who they may become in five or 10 years' time.</p>

<p data-end="2757" data-start="2680">“People buying now often aren’t moving in for several years,” Abolakian says.</p>

<p data-end="2949" data-start="2759">“You might have a young couple buying today, but by the time they move in they may have children, older children, or changing lifestyle needs. You’ve got to think about how families evolve.”</p>

<p data-end="3219" data-start="3163">That thinking also shapes Hyecorp’s approach to amenity, which positions wellness at the forefront.</p>

<p data-end="3219" data-start="3163">[smartcode_project:default project_id=149594 project_image_fid=362634]</p>

<p data-end="3454" data-start="3221">While resort-style facilities have become increasingly common marketing tools across Sydney apartment developments, Abolakian says the challenge is ensuring amenities are genuinely usable and appropriate for the scale of the project.</p>

<p data-end="3546" data-start="3456">“If amenities are done right, they can materially improve the living experience,” he says, adding however that if you&nbsp;overdo it or get it wrong, you can end up with facilities nobody uses that simply create ongoing strata costs.”</p>

<p data-end="3919" data-start="3669">That balance is something Hyecorp is aiming to strike with projects like Roseville Avenue, one of the group's upcoming Lower North Shore developments, which Abolakian describes as bringing a resort-style living experience into a metropolitan setting.</p>

<p data-end="4005" data-start="3921">“It’s about creating something that feels special without being excessive,” he says.</p>

<p data-end="4112" data-start="4007">“Good gardens, quality apartments, thoughtful amenity. Creating that resort feeling in a metro location.”</p>

<p data-end="4112" data-start="4007"><img alt="Hyecorp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="13c4c0f3-b1b7-44cf-9344-0b3d1d07797a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-02%20at%2012.14.57%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=9OLWjyj2bYkDV35F78WJnyMSPfc2bJ2z" /></p>

<p data-end="4243" data-start="4114">The focus on owner-occupier product comes as Sydney’s apartment market continues to navigate a difficult development environment.&nbsp;For Hyecorp, maintaining an in-house operating model across construction, sales, marketing and development management has become increasingly important in navigating that environment.</p>

<p data-end="5230" data-start="5149">“We’ve always believed in keeping a lot of the process in-house,” Abolakian says.</p>

<p data-end="5392" data-start="5232">“It creates efficiencies, but it also creates quality control. You can make faster decisions and ensure the end product stays aligned with the original vision.”</p>

<p data-end="5674" data-start="5394">Despite the challenges, Abolakian believes demand for quality owner-occupier apartments across Sydney remains strong beneath the surface, particularly across established Lower North Shore suburbs where downsizers continue to seek new housing options close to existing communities.</p>

<p data-end="5723" data-start="5676">“There are definitely people waiting,” he says.</p>

<p data-end="5902" data-start="5725">“Once some of the broader uncertainty settles, whether that’s the global environment or some of the local economic noise, I think the right projects will perform very strongly.”</p>

<p style="text-align:start">Hyecorp currently has three residential developments on the market across Sydney’s Lower North Shore.&nbsp;Audrey, St Leonards, positioned opposite Newlands Park, is nearing completion and preparing to welcome its first residents, with the project now almost sold out.</p>

<p style="text-align:start">Hyecorp has also recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/celine-chatswood-37-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">Celine Chatswood</a>, an architectural tower, while continuing to deliver&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/juliet-roseville-64-pacific-highway-roseville-nsw-2069">Juliet Roseville</a>, a more boutique scale of development with just 34 apartments.</p>


Jonathan Chancellor

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