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A quick overview of the latest trends in key Australian economic data.
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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>. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Australian data summary table 26 September: Westpac's Andrew Hanlan

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Historic Hordern House at Potts Point has been listed for sale with $6.5 million hopes.
The 1880s Victoria Street terrace house was bought by the rare book dealers Anne McCormick and Derek McDonnell for $438,000 in 1985. 
Anne McCormick has been involved in rare books, manuscripts, paintings and prints since the 1970’s first in business in Paddington. They are moving to new premises.
The freestanding terrace has a 19 wide frontage, spanning three levels over 561 square metres.
The Richardson &amp; Wrench listing agent Geoff Cox said in the marketing it was ready for adaptation to a "large, stunning and private residence with at least 4 bedrooms."
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Historic Hordern House, Potts Point listed by rare book sellers

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Queensland's biggest builder, Impact Homes, has taken a 4.9 percent stake in its rival, the Simonds Group.
McDonald Jones, the biggest builder in NSW, also holds just over 5 per cent of the ASX-listed stock. 
Last month Gary Simonds reached an agreement with Melbourne's wealthy Roche family to take the home builder private with shareholders to vote on the plan in early November.
The Simonds family who own 39 percent of the stock are unable to vote on the scheme.
Simonds posted a $14.9 million annual loss for fiscal 2016.
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Home builder rivals amass stake in Simonds Group

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Weekend bidding showed signs of the frenzy typically seen in the televised auctions of The Block.
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At Bondi Beach - 13 years since the renovation series began and eight doors along - a dilapidated stripped-bare one-bedroom unit fetched a stellar $961,000.
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The buyer was a family from nearby Dover Heights who will lease it out after they renovate the apartment with no car space. 
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<div>"It went berserk," McGrath selling agent Simon Exleton told Fairfax Media. </div>
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The Sunday Telegraph reported there were more than 50 registered bidders. 
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-bondi+beach-123490502" target="_blank">The Bondi Beach one bedroom apartment</a> was 60 sq m with sunroom.
The first floor unit last for $54,500 in 1986, reflecting just shy of 10 percent annual price growth.
A renovated offering in the block of 16 apartments sold for $770,000 a few months ago.  
The price guide for 6/85 Roscoe Street - just one block from the iconic beach - was $660,000 with the auction opening with a $720,000 opening bid.
Even a Richmond cottage that failed to sell in its televised auction on The Block’s first Melbourne season fared well at weekend auction fetching $1.32 million.
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The three bedroom 41 Cameron Street workers cottage renovated by sisters Katrina Chambers and Amie Godde last fetched $860,000 in 2011, a few days after the televised event. 
RT Edgar Hawthorn had the house with a price guide of $1 million to $1.1 million. 
With annualised price growth of 8.7 percent, it sold at $70,000 over reserve, one of the 1090 offerings across Melbourne, according to CoreLogic.
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Bondi Beach's $961,000 one bedder doer-upper

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A Richmond cottage that failed to sell in its televised auction on The Block’s first Melbourne season fared well at weekend Melbourne auction fetching $1.32 million.
The three bedroom <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-richmond-123404150" target="_blank">41 Cameron Street</a> worker's cottage renovated by sisters Katrina Chambers and Amie Godde last fetched $860,000 in 2011, a few days after the televised event. 
RT Edgar had the house with a price guide of $1 million to $1.1 million this time.
With annualised price growth of 8.7 percent, it sold at $70,000 over reserve.
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Richmond cottage from The Block sells with 8 percent annualised price growth

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CoreLogic reported it was another strong weekend for auction activity, ahead of the grand final weekend slowdown.
There were 2,445 auctions held across the combined capital cities with a preliminary auction clearance rate of 78 percent.
Last week, the final auction clearance rate was recorded at 76 percent with 2,149 residential properties taken to auction.
At the same time last year, auction volumes were higher with just 69 percent of the 2,835 offerings finding buyers under the hammer.
"Over the first four weeks of Spring, auction clearance rates have consistently been recorded at a higher rate than over the corresponding weeks last year, while auction volumes remain around 20 per cent lower," CoreLogic spokesperson Kevin Brogan said.
Melbourne, Australia’s largest auction market, notched up a 79 percent success rate. Strong sales above reserve continued to be evident.
Six bidders sought the unrenovated cottage at 24 College Street, Hawthorn which was announced as on the market at $1.25 million and sold for $1,551,000.
In Fitzroy, a two-bedroom house at 80 Cecil Street drew four bidders. It was called on the market at $1.1 million and knocked down at $1.3 million.
Melbourne prices ranged between $216,000 at Reservoir and $4 million at Canterbury.
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It was a quaint 1930s knockdown home, Dooras without heritage overlay at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-canterbury-123448414" target="_blank">107 Mont Albert Road</a> (above).
Across Sydney, 930 homes were taken to auction this week - with 580 on Saturday - with a preliminary clearance rate of 84 percent.
A Bronte timewarp was Sydney's, and the nation's, top sale when $7.35 million was paid – $1.35 million over reserve - for the late 1950s house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-bronte-123396886" target="_blank">3 Bronte Marine Drive</a> (below).
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The buyers' guide was $5.8 million. The buyer is likely to add a third floor.
Sydney's cheapest sale was $480,000 at Whalan (below).
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The three bedroom house had last sold in <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-whalan-123451950" target="_blank">June last year at $470,000</a>, so the $10,000 price gain would not have covered costs.
It had been a $345 a week rental, so reflecting a 3.75 per cent gross yield.
Last week, the final clearance rate for Sydney was 81 percent, across 815 auctions.
One year ago, 1,200 Sydney homes were taken to auction and the clearance rate was 71 per cent.
Brisbane's preliminary clearance rate was 51 percent, up from 48 percent last week but lower than one year ago, when 55 percent of auctions were successful.
This week, Adelaide saw a preliminary clearance rate of 84 percent, with 87 reported results across a total of 126 scheduled auctions.
Adelaide's top sale was $1,682,000 for a sandstone 1930s Tudor-style home in Fitzroy.
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The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-fitzroy-123516286" target="_blank">1 Braund Road offering</a> (above) had a pre-auction price guidance of $1.5 million to $1.6 million. 
The five bedroom home had last traded at $385,000 in 1997, reflecting just over 8 per cent annual price growth with a renovation undertaken in 2004.
Perth’s clearance rate of 35.1 percent across 49 auctions was down from the previous week, when 39 auctions were held and a clearance rate of 45.2 percent was recorded.
In Canberra, 90 auctions were held this week, and of the 73 reported results, 70 percent were successful. 
Canberra prices ranged between $355,000 for a two bedroom Greenway apartment and $2.1 million for a three bedroom house in Forrest. 
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Strong spring auction clearance rates continue ahead of grand final weekend

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It's not just Aussie John Symond's Point Piper home that's available to buy.
His neighbour, the luxury car dealer Neville “Croaky” Crichton is mulling over unsolicited offers for his trophy home.
The latest offer is reputedly at $60 million. 
Compared with the Symond mansion, Crichton's pad on Wingadal Place looks like a Tuscan version of a dower house. It's a three-storey, six bedroom home, with a gym, cellar and workshop, in the Tuscan style. 
He recently joked if a burglar broke into his house “they’d look around and say, ‘you need a bit of help, here’s some money’.”
Crichton has engaged Auckland-based designers Swan Railley Clapham to build a new residence on the Point Piper site he bought for $5.9 million from the Rose family in 1994.
Crichton was spotted recently spotted sitting in the back row of an auction, with his partner, when <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-nsw-darling+point-123228050" target="_blank">a Darling Point apartment sold for $6.3 million to a local buyer from China</a>.
But he never raised his bidding card for the Thornton Street 1970s timewarp (above) - which was offered through Michael Dunn, of Richardson &amp; Wrench Double Bay.
It looked like something from an Austin Powers movie set complete with garish blue living room with built-in fish tank, green dining capsule room, and orange themed living space.
Born in 1945 on a farm on New Zealand’s South Island, Crichton began buying cheap bicycles, tarting them up and selling them for enough profit to buy his first sailing boat at 12 year old. 
Crichton, whose Alfa Romeo won the 2009 Sydney-Hobart, hit the headlines in 2011 when his Point Piper harbourfront was rented by the Microsoft founder Bill Gates who flew into Sydney with his family for some Christmas holiday downtime.
Sources said the family paid about $25,000 a week to stay at the home.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Neville Crichton mulls $60 million plus offer in Point Piper

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/65885/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
The US$185 million fine levied on US bank Wells Fargo for unauthorised accounts opened by employees seeking bonuses appears to have become a tipping point for industry action in Australia.
Reacting to sales targets and bonus incentives, Wells Fargo employees artificially inflated their sales by secretly opening accounts. They then transferred funds using these accounts, triggering overdraft fees and other charges. Staff also falsely opened credit card and debit card accounts, causing credit card holders to incur annual fees. Debit cards were issued with PINs, again without the customer’s knowledge. More than two million such fake accounts were created.
This week Westpac chief Brian Hartzer said the bank would remove all product-related incentives across its 2,000 branch tellers and instead base their incentives on customer feedback about service quality.
The move comes after a long history of sales-driven banking cultures. Wells Fargo confirmed it had fired over 5,300 employees for such behaviour, between January 2011 and March 2016.
Employees of Wells Fargo had been vocal about the high-pressure culture that existed in the bank in an LA Times article in 2013. They spoke of being regularly humiliated by managers in front of their colleagues and threatened with the sack for failing to meet targets. Some begged family members to sign up and open unneeded accounts. The root cause of this pressure on Wells Fargo employees was the bank’s corporate culture, and a cross-selling target of at least eight financial products per customer.
US regulators say the record fine levied on Wells Fargo should “Serve notice to the entire industry that such initiatives need to be carefully monitored as a basic element in any company’s compliance program, to make sure that incentives for employees are aligned with the welfare of customers”.
Such misdemeanour’s by financial services providers are not unusual. Earlier in 2016 Santander Bank was fined US$10 million for allegedly enrolling customers in overdraft protection services that they had never authorised.
Regulators in Australia have also become concerned that sales incentives are harming the financial industry’s integrity. The Australian Bankers Association is conducting a review of “product sales commissions and product based payments that could lead to poor customer outcomes”.
In its submission to the review, the Finance Sector Union of Australia (FSU) has focused on these poor customer outcomes. It puts much of the blame on the “conflicted remuneration” that causes “the systematic application of remuneration and work systems that drive employees to sell and/or push products and services” to bank customers.
The FSU submission is based on a survey of 1,298 bank employees undertaken in August 2016. Based on feedback from members, it says bank staff employment is often dependent on “their ability to gain referrals, sell the product of the week or reach a volume based target”. The FSU concludes that “existing remuneration systems are having a detrimental effect on the lives of bank employees” and that the Australian banking industry’s remuneration systems is “causing the industry harm”.
This week Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe also weighed in, saying remuneration structures within financial institutions should promote behaviour that benefits not just an institution, but its client.
Australian banks are some of the most profitable in the world and are in a strong position to lead by example in gaining and then sustaining the trust of their customers. Cross selling of products and services can be achieved by a rigorous focus on customer service that produces not just customer satisfaction, but customer delight.
Achieving this means confronting the dilemmas created by “conflicted remuneration,” whereby bank executive rewards are directly related to sales and subsequent profitability. If sales targets continue to lead to customer harm, banks will lose the vital ingredient of trust that banking relies on. And those calling for a banking royal commission will be granted their wish.
Steve Worthington is adjunct professor, Swinburne University of Technology and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-worthington-138" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Banks can target service before sales to avoid a banking royal commission

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The federation residence at 167 Clarke Street, Northcote, (above) has sold for $4.3 million pre-auction, $760,000 above the previous record for the suburb. 
It sold to a local upsizing young family.
The renovated home comes with sweeping city views and alfresco entertaining areas.  
It was the Melbourne suburb's first house sale above $4 million.
There's another house on Rucker’s Hill at 215 Clarke Street seeking a similar price.
It is being sold conjunctionally by Jellis Craig Fitzroy and Brace Real Estate.
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Northcote $4.3 million record house sale

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The NSW Southern Riverina farm, Hazeldean at Womboota has been listed by Elders.
It is 1246 hectares.
Agent Wayne Eeles at Elders Echuca.
The 2889 Perricoota Road property is 15 minutes from Echuca and Moama.
It land use includes grazing, cropping, irrigation with cereals, sheep and cattle given its rich red loam and sandy loam soils .
The property enjoys supply direct from Murray River Irrigation.
The homestead comes with generous 10 foot verandahs with a restored 60 square home. 
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Hazeldean, the 60 square NSW Southern Riverina homestead listed

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

Joel Robinson

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5427]

The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<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.

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.

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.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"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.

"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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

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.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

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.

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.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

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;

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.

"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;

"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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

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;

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.

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;

"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;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

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.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

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

Investors may soon find themselves with fewer reasons to buy established property and more incentives to look towards the new apartment market.

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.

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.

The challenge for investors is that suitable product is becoming harder to find.

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.

Today, the development pipeline looks very different.

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.

That shift has created a shortage of investor-friendly stock, particularly in well-located projects close to transport, employment hubs and lifestyle amenity.

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.

We've rounded up four new apartment developments where investors can still secure a foothold in the market for around $1 million or less.

<h2 data-end="1140" data-start="844">Flourish Soleira</h2>

<h2>Priced from: $1.07 million</h2>

Popular Palm Beach developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa</a> is soon to officially launch its newest local apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-1150-1154-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a>.

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370964]

Flourish Soliera will comprise 153 apartments across two buildings, connected by a skybridge, the first ever delivered in the suburb.

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.

<h2>Corallo, Palm Beach</h2>

Priced from: $841,500

Nearby Flourish Soleira is Changfa Group's beachfront-inspired <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/corallo-palm-beach-5-palm-beach-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Corallo</a> development. They still have some one-bedroom apartments remaining, priced from $841,500.

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112194 project_image_fid=808]

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.

<h2>Corner House, Stones Corner</h2>

<h2>Priced from: $880,000</h2>

One of only two Brisbane apartment developments to make the list with prices under $1 million is DeMartini Fletcher's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/corner-house-stones-corner-18-stoneham-street-stones-corner-qld-4120">Corner House development</a> in Stones Corner.

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149098 project_image_fid=330594]

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.

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.

Parkdrive Apartments, Chermside

Priced from: $749,000

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 <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">recently launched Parkdrive development</a>.

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

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.

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.

Jonathan Chancellor

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