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GUEST OBSERVER
Retail sales posted a 0.5% rise in Oct, mid-way between the consensus forecast of 0.4% and Westpac’s 0.6% (although at 0.549%, closer to Westpac’s call in unrounded terms).That follows 0.4% gains in Aug and Sep.
Store categories recorded a mixed month with solid gains for basic food (+0.6% off a soft Sep), household goods (1.1% but still subdued given housing strength) and a decent bounce for department stores (+3.5% more than reversing the 1.6% drop in Sep. These were partially offset by a dip in cafes and restaurants (–0.6%) and basically flat results for clothing and ‘other retail’.
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The state results ranged high to low from NSW (+0.8% after a quiet Aug-Sep), to Vic &amp; Qld (0.5%, the former after solid gains in Aug-Sep, the latter after back to back declines), SA (+0.3% holding at insipid growth rates), and WA (flat, implying worsening per capita cuts in spending).
The monthly trend sales estimate suggests a slight improvement with annual growth lifting from a 3.6% annualised mid-year to around 3.9%yr currently. 
On a 3mth rolling basis however, annual sales growth is still softening from a peak of 4.6%yr in Q2 to 4% currently. On a broad store-type basis, the slowdown is coming from more moderate growth in household goods retail and a marginal softening in basic food, the contribution from other categories lifting a little. By state, it is mainly centred on NSW &amp; ACT, where strong sales growth had been driving about half of the gains nationally up until earlier this year.
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A significant wedge is starting to emerge between large and small retailers with the latter struggling again (sales down 0.4%yr). Growth is particularly strong for large non-food retailers (+8.9%yr).
October was a poor month for retailers' sales via online channels, with non seasonally adjusted sales up just 3.5%yr, the first time sales in this channel have dipped below non- online retail since the ABS started providing a split in 2013. Over that short period, online retail has typically grown at 51⁄2 times faster than total retail (i.e. 20%yr+).
All up the pace of sales growth remains sub-par, particularly given that retailers should be indirectly benefitting from the lower AUD's boost to Australia's tourism sector and a consistently more upbeat picture from private sector business surveys. Some of this likely reflects continued aggressive price competition in a range of sub-sectors (the monthly figures are nominal and thus include the impact of both volume and price changes). Recent reads from the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment survey point to a more positive tone particularly around Christmas spending plans. Dec-Jan may see some better retail results.
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Matthew Hassan is senior economist with <a href="https://www.westpac.com.au/" target="_blank">Westpac</a>.
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Australian retail sales on the up: Westpac's Matthew Hassan

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News Ltd have acquired a 25% stake in hipages, Australia’s most popular website for finding and hiring tradespeople. 
<a href="https://www.homeimprovementpages.com.au/" target="_blank">hipages</a> is the leading on-demand marketplace for hiring tradies in Australia, including plumbers, electricians, painters and builders.
Since its launch in 2004, the company has experienced significant growth year on year. David Vitek is co-founder and CEO of Hipages and Roby Sharon-Zipser, is the COO and co-founder of hipages.
It directly employs 200 people and helps over 65,000 verified tradespeople find work and get access to $1.35 billion worth of jobs generated annually.
"Our funding, comprising a combination of cash and advertising contra will help the business to further accelerate its growth and create greater brand awareness while providing our trades and services advertisers with a new platform with which to promote their businesses," News Corp Australia chief Peter Tonagh said in a statement on Monday. 
"For us this is an exciting investment and a key plank in our wider plan to expand and grow our property and home services business in Australia.
"More broadly, the investment follows our strategy of leveraging our large, highly engaged consumer audiences, and our deep relationships with advertisers, to expand our business into high growth."
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News Corp Australia invest in tradies home improvement website

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Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett and his wife, Kylie have bought in Manly heartland as the club heads into its 70th anniversary year.
It was a fairly even price swap following the sale of their Shellharbour district home three months ago.
The couple spent $2.41 million at Freshwater through Sweetnams, which is just $10,000 more than the $2.4 million they secured in their record Barrack Point sale.
That listing came just before Barrett was appointed to replace Geoff Toovey after the Sea Eagles finished out of the NRL finals race for the first time in a decade.
The Barrett's had paid $904,000 for the oceanfront reserve house in 2004. 
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Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett buys in Freshwater

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Glenn Stevens, the governor the the Reserve Bank of Australia, gave a speech recently with what he advised had a fairly uncontroversial prediction. 
"There will be economic downturns from time to time," he said, adding if one turns out to be a big one, it will be very new experience for a lot of Australians.
"Close to half the workforce has never seen really high, nationwide unemployment."
He noted a lot of Australians had not ever seen how tough conditions can become "when virtually every industry and region is contracting.
"That they have not seen this is a good thing – in the sense that it results from the fact that we have not a really serious downturn for a long time now."
There have been many dips, but the last national recession was 1992. 
"But if one comes, it will be a shock," Glenn Stevens warned.
Spring provided a small shock for its eager sellers across Sydney as sale prices fell from their earlier peaks.
The stellar price achieved earlier this year for the inferior house down the street wasn't going to be secured for your better home. That was the anecdotal evidence that emerged during spring sales, then this week's more official recognition that Sydney had recorded its biggest fall in nearly five years. 
Sydney wasn't alone as CoreLogic RP Date suggest dwelling prices fell 1.5% in November across all the capital cities combined.
The data had Sydney houses down 1.5% during November and down 1.4% for the quarter to $950,000. For apartments Sydney was down 0.7% during November but up 0.6% for the quarter to $675,000.
CoreLogic's Tim Lawless noted the negative Sydney performance in November, which came after October had been a flat market, was likely to provide the Reserve Bank with a greater degree of flexibility in adjusting interest rates next year without as much risk of overstimulating the housing market.
Let's not forget that Sydney prices sit 48% higher than at the start of the now flagging price growth cycle.
Sydney dwelling prices are still up 12.8% on what they were this time last year too.
Ofcourse most owners sit out any such dips not having to sell - at a loss let alone the ignominy of taking less than the neighbours got.
I recall when banks were evicting then selling homes during that early 1990s recession and it was not pretty.
Currently only two per cent of homes resold in Sydney are selling at a loss for their vendor based on their initial purchase price, according to the CoreLogic RP Data Pain &amp; Gain report.
The prestige Mosman and Pittwater, and the mortgage belt of Gosford, were the council areas that recorded the highest proportions of these loss-making resales.
The prestige market has been especially problematic. Recently a $10 million Mosman harbourfront sale occurred which was the same price as its 2011 sale, so no gain in four years for the bank chairman who sold.
In Woollahra $6 million was secured for a contemporary terrace which fetched $6.5 million in 2011 when bullishly sold by a former assistant Reserve Bank governor.
Property success can be a toss of the coin chance outcome, depending on your timing in the cycle, but also the recklessness of your purchase price.
Macquarie Reseach's controversial forecast that house prices across Australia could fall 7.5 per cent from the 2015 peak over 2016 and into 2017 has had some early impetus this spring, but let's see how 2016 kicks off.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Sydney prices going backwards, but for how long?

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The former Miss World Belinda Green and husband Steve Mason have yet to sell their Cowra farm, Glen Echo which was passed in at recent auction.
The online bidding opened at $1 million, with Glen Echo passed in at $1,150,000.
The Meares &amp; Co listed agent Chris Meares advised there was an asking price of $1.3 million for the 50 hectare farm which they bought in 2004. It is listed inconjunction with First National.
The 1896 double brick hillside three bedroom homestead has recently been renovated with new wide verandahs on three sides.
The couple who married three years ago at Nyngan during one of their regular Desert Duel charity car rallies, are now looking to downsize from the farm, located <a href="https://www.meares.com.au/property/glenecho/gallery/glen-echo.htm" target="_blank">16km west of Cowra</a> and 300km from Sydney.
Belinda has had a full life, but is always fondly remembered for her pageantry appearances, winning the 1972 Miss World contest at the age of 20.
These days Green, the mother of two daughters from her second marriage, and Steve's three children, prompts them to be increasingly spending time away from the farm, in Sydney and overseas.
Long retired from pageantry and even her subsequent television work, which included being a Beauty And The Beast panelist, Belinda has always been busy with charity work, awarded an Order of Australia for services to the community in 2013.
She's currently studying as a veterinary nurse at Southern Cross Wildlife care centre, an animal hospital at Braidwood, an adjunct to her rescuing, and caring for, injured and orphaned wildlife, through Wildcare.
The paddocks are currently leased to a local farmer.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph. 
 
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Belinda Green's Glen Echo farm passed in at auction

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Farmland in Melbourne's outer north continues to make way for new house-and-land offerings after around $18 million was paid for a 20 hectare Wollert holding, according to Fairfax Media.
The Residential 1 zoned parcel at 80 Harvest Home Road is 27 kilometres from the CBD, between Craigieburn and Doreen.
It was marketed by Pitra Real Estate Group's Tom Pita as "the ideal opportunity for developers to build a small town".
Builders including Stockland, AV Jennings and Henley Homes are among the builders in the district already.
<a href="https://www.pitra.com.au/property/wollert-2/" target="_blank">Extended settlement terms</a> of up to 36 months was on offer to the buyer.
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Wollert farm sells at $18 million on Melbourne's outskirts

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Rent.com.au recorded 526,280 unique visitors to its website during November 2015.
It was the second consecutive month it has registered audience numbers in excess of its 500,000 unique visitor target.
Rent.com.au managing director Mark Woschnak said November was the start of a period typically characterised by a seasonal downturn in national audience numbers.
 “We are pleased to have maintained our audience share relative to the rest of the market which, we know from independent AC Nielsen reporting, typically declines 3% to 5% in November and as much as a further 25% in December each year.
"This proven seasonal effect on traffic is normal and expected as people naturally shift focus to the festive season and defer finding their next rental place until the New Year.'
He said compared with October 2015, rent.com.au had increased the total time that visitors spent on site, with the total advertising impressions up 19% to 18 million, capturing the attention of some of the biggest advertisers in the country interested in targeting its high‐demand audience demographic of the 18‐35 year old market.
Upon listing on the ASX in June 2015, the company also set a business objectives of increasing levels of rental property listings from non‐agent landlords.
<a href="https://www.rent.com.au/admin/landlords/19125/properties/new" target="_blank">The site is offering a period of free listing for landlords</a>.
With more than 6,500 estate agencies nationally, its typically provides over 58,000 national listings, representing over 80% of what is on offer.
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Rent.com.au secures November spike ahead of seasonal rental downturn

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Melbourne's weekend clearance rate of 67% was higher than 65% last week and 66% this week last year.
There were 1236 auctions reported to the REIV. 
There are more than 1,400 auctions scheduled next weekend, which will mark the final Super Saturday for the year, the REIV chief Enzo Raimondo said.. 
 
TOP 5 HOUSES
1. 5 Torresdale Road, Toorak $3,725,000
2. 1227-1229 Malvern Road, Malvern $3,510,000
3. 66 Black Street, Brighton $3,500,000
4. 1 Connor Street, Brighton East $3,200,000
5. 27 Swallow Street, Port Melbourne $2,900,000
 
TOP 5 BARGAIN HOUSES
1. 19 Branton Road, Hoppers Crossing $310,000
2. 32 Tatura Crescent, Broadmeadows $322,500
3. 12 Folger Road, Craigieburn $330,000
4. 103 Sunset Boulevard, Jacana $336,000
5. 11 Hesse Court, Westmeadows $355,000
  
TOP 5 APARTMENTS
1. 10A Banksia Avenue, Beaumaris $1,650,000
2. 52A Bayview Street, Williamstown $1,425,000
3. 55A Lahona Avenue, Bentleigh East $1,410,000
4. 2/14 Yerrin Street, Balwyn $1,356,000
5. 1/58 Union Road, Surrey Hills $1,310,000
 
TOP 5 BARGAIN APARTMENTS
1. 7/13 Ormond Road, West Footscray $188,000
2. 22/15 Mcewan Road, Heidelberg Heights $272,500
3. 18/278 Barkly Street, Elwood $285,000
4. 7/139 Napier Street, Essendon $287,000
5. 5/8 Walker Street, Brunswick West $295,000
Source <a href="/news">REIV</a>
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Melbourne's auction success rate hovers in the mid 60s: REIV

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Actor Richard Roxburgh, star of Rake, and his wife, the SBS TV celebrity chef Silvia Colloca have reportedly bought at Newport for $3 million.
But they are yet to sell <a href="/news/actor-richard-roxburgh-lists-bilgola-home-for-sunday-auction">their five bedroom Bilgola Plateau home</a>. It now comes priced at $1.9 million plus.
Their northern beaches modern beach-style retreat was pulled from recent scheduled auction by James Baker at Raine and Horne Palm Beach.
With views over Pittwater,<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-bilgola-121101482" target="_blank"> the modern two level home on Lower Plateau Road </a>was initially marketed to fetch around $2 million. The couple added a deck off the master bedroom since paying $1.62 million in 2009.
They are planning on staying on the northern beaches having bought on the cliff at Newport, Fairfax Media advised.
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Rake's Richard Roxburgh upgrading to Newport

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An old industrial warehouse offered for sale as the best potential single residence in Redfern with $3 million hopes fetched $3.61 million at its weekend auction.
The <a href="https://www.bresicwhitney.com.au/buy/73-75-george-street-redfern-12195" target="_blank">George Street</a> building had last sold for $1.43 million in 2012. 
The 350 sqm property was auctioned by William Phillips of BresicWhitney with eight registered bidders. 
There's little more than exposed brickwork, its tallowwood and brushbox floorboards and its treetop outlook. The vendors bought the space from the Anglican Church and spent $500,000 on basic renovations, to configure it as a one-bedroom home with a kitchen, garage and two long empty rooms.
The property is one of Redfern's top authentic warehouses and could become the area's best residence.
A four-bedroom house at 27 Chelsea Street, Redfern sold for a suburb record of $3.45 million in August. 
Budding venture capitalist Dan Gammell and his art dealer fiancee, Eleanor Cheetham had bought the home of the late artist Brenda Humble in 2013 for a then record price of $2.58 million.
In that time they undertook a modest renovation, including installing a new kitchen.
Shannan Whitney, of BresicWhitney shared the listing with McGrath agent Ben Collier.
 
For your free Property Observer eBook from RAMS, 12 tips for first-time buyers, covering everything you need to know when it comes to purchasing property, click here.
 
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Redfern warehouse $2.2 million dearer, but still an empty shell

Design-led developer-builder Lowe Living has unveiled its latest residential development, Jardin House, marking its first foray into Melbourne's blue-chip City of Boroondara.

Located a short walk from Camberwell Junction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/jardin-house-by-lowe-living-camberwell-335-camberwell-road-camberwell-vic-3124">Jardin House</a> has been designed to appeal to affluent local downsizers and established families seeking a low-maintenance alternative to the large homes that have long defined Camberwell and surrounding suburbs.

The project will comprise a collection of two and three-bedroom apartments ranging from 92 sqm to 280 sqm, alongside a limited number of penthouse residences featuring rooftop terraces spanning more than 100 sqm, with optional private pools.

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Lowe Living Co-Founder and Managing Director Tim Lowe said Camberwell represented a natural next step for the developer as it expands into some of Melbourne's most tightly held residential markets.

"Jardin House is an important project for our team as it marks the next evolution of our portfolio into different well-established blue-chip pockets of Melbourne," Lowe said.

"Camberwell, with its incredible walkability, family-led neighbourhood feel and superb access to education and transport, makes it a natural choice for us."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372227]

Designed by Tristan Wong Architects, with interiors by Hecker Guthrie and landscaping by Acre, the development takes inspiration from the Art Deco architecture that remains a defining feature of many of Camberwell's established streets.

A curved facade, arched openings, textured brickwork and sculpted forms reference the suburb's architectural heritage, while extensive landscaping softens the building's presence and creates a strong connection to the surrounding tree-lined streetscape.

The project will be set behind a secure gated entrance, with residents arriving through landscaped gardens designed to create a transition between the public realm and private residences.

Inside, the residences feature natural stone and timber finishes, full-height glazing, Miele appliances and generous open-plan living areas designed for long-term owner occupation.

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While the apartments themselves have been designed to attract discerning owner-occupiers, it is the amenity offering that sets Jardin House apart from many other boutique projects currently launching across Melbourne.

The centrepiece is a 350 sqm private bathhouse curated in partnership with Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse founder Lyndall Mitchell.

The wellness precinct includes mineral pools, hydrotherapy experiences, a Himalayan salt room, sauna, steam room, cold plunge pools and dedicated relaxation spaces, creating what Lowe Living describes as a private wellness retreat exclusively for residents.

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The collaboration follows Lowe Living's recent partnership with Aurora at Maison Savoy in Brighton, although Jardin House is the first project to incorporate both indoor and outdoor wellness experiences.

Emma Lowe, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lowe Living, said wellness was becoming an increasingly important consideration for apartment buyers.

"Collaborating with Lyndall Mitchell from Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse for a second time is an intentional nod to creating residences that are more than just homes, but a way to enrich the lives of our residents through wellness and longevity," Lowe said.

The amenity offering is complemented by a Technogym fitness studio, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and concierge services.

The launch comes as developers increasingly target Melbourne's established eastern suburbs, where rising land values, ageing housing stock and growing downsizer demand are creating opportunities for boutique apartment projects.

Lowe said the company expects significant generational wealth transfer across suburbs such as Camberwell in coming years, creating further demand for luxury apartment living.

"Camberwell is a blue-chip suburb where homes regularly transact for multiple millions of dollars," he said.

"The generational change of wealth in these locations expected in the coming years is significant, so we see an opportunity to create exclusive residences that appeal to older families and downsizers in order to meet this demand."

Apartments at Jardin house start from $1,195,000. The project forms part of Lowe Living's near-$1 billion portfolio of new developments across Melbourne.

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Joel Robinson

Lowe Living launches Jardin House in Camberwell

As <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/north-sydney-nsw-2060">North Sydney</a> continues its transition from a commercial centre into a more layered residential and lifestyle precinct, a new generation of apartment developments is reshaping expectations around scale, amenity, and long-term liveability.

Improved transport connections through the Victoria Cross Metro, continued investment in dining and public spaces, and a constrained supply of new luxury apartments have sharpened demand for homes that combine proximity to the CBD with the privacy and outlook traditionally associated with harbourside houses.

At 177 Walker Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a>’s new apartment development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> enters the market with a distinctly residential approach to high-rise living. The 30-level tower will deliver 161 residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to sub-penthouses and a full-floor penthouse, all oriented to capture uninterrupted views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, and out toward the Pacific Ocean.

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, the project takes advantage of the site’s natural topography and elevated position above the harbour. Rather than relying on density alone, the architecture focuses on outlook, orientation, and spatial flow, with every apartment occupying a corner position to maximise natural light and cross ventilation.

Rothelowman says the site itself shaped much of the architectural response.

“The site has a long history in terms of its inevitable transformation and when we came in, we took inspiration from the idea of reestablishing a sense of the site’s natural terrain and fall. Our scheme aims to integrate with the terrain and the landscape, using the undulating site to slowly reveal glimpses and views of the harbour. The rotation of the tower off grid means every apartment has a view and is naturally cross ventilated. The building's colour palette is quintessentially Sydney, with bronze and sandstone and a luminescent green colour in the glass, making it very earthy and grounded in its location.”

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Inside the residences, the emphasis moves toward larger-format living typically associated with standalone homes. Kitchens sit at the centre of the apartments, connecting directly to open-plan dining and living areas before extending outward into expansive winter gardens and balconies. Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, integrated appliances, and custom metal detailing are used throughout, while three distinct interior palettes, Terrace, Opera, and Harbour, allow buyers to personalise the spaces without compromising the architectural consistency of the project.

The larger residences place particular attention on separation between entertaining and private zones. In many apartments, master suites occupy the outer corners of the floorplates, allowing bedrooms to benefit from floor-to-ceiling glazing and harbour outlooks independent of the living spaces. Dressing rooms and ensuites continue the material palette through fluted detailing, freestanding baths, and layered stone finishes.

Rothelowman says the design intent centred on creating homes that feel enduring rather than transient.

“Our philosophy is all about the way people live in these spaces, and we wanted to create homes that reflect the quality of life in this unique Sydney location. The apartments showcase expansive living spaces that are generous, sophisticated, and bold, with the ability to connect with views throughout each apartment.”

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A separate four-storey amenity building known as The Pavilion expands the residential offering beyond the apartments themselves. Positioned alongside the tower, the building consolidates wellness, recreation, and social spaces into a dedicated resident retreat. Facilities include a 20-metre rooftop pool and sundeck, sauna, spa, ice bath, wellness studio, gymnasium, concierge service, wine cellar, residents’ lounge, private dining spaces, and dedicated co-working areas with meeting rooms and boardroom facilities.

The amenity mix reflects the buyer profile emerging in North Sydney, where owner-occupiers and downsizers are increasingly prioritising convenience, apartment scale, and long-term usability over purely investment-driven decisions.

The Walden also represents a significant milestone for ALAND, marking the company’s first major move into Sydney’s inner-city luxury apartment market after more than two decades delivering large-scale residential communities across Greater Sydney. Founder Andrew Hrsto says the Walker Street site stood apart because of both its positioning and its rarity.

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“As a company, we had been searching for a site in one of Sydney’s blue-chip locations, spanning the Eastern Suburbs, the Sydney CBD and the North Shore, and when we had the opportunity to purchase this site, we immediately recognised that it could be something iconic.”

At launch, The Walden recorded more than $103 million in sales, with buyers drawn to the project’s harbour positioning, apartment scale, and proximity to the Metro, which now connects North Sydney to Barangaroo in three minutes and Martin Place in five.

ALAND has commenced construction, and is expecting a completion date in 2028.

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The Walden pairs house-scale living with North Sydney connectivity

The ACT will become the first jurisdiction in Australia to abolish stamp duty for all first home buyers, with no income caps and no property price thresholds from 1 July.

The move, announced as part of the ACT Budget, completes a key election commitment from the Barr Government and removes what Chief Minister Andrew Barr described as one of the biggest barriers to entering the housing market. The reform forms part of the ACT's long-running transition away from transaction taxes and towards a broader-based property tax system.

"This budget marks a major milestone in our long-term tax reform program," Barr said, adding that the government had maintained a sustained focus on removing barriers to home ownership. He said stamp duty had long been one of the largest upfront hurdles facing buyers and that from July, "that barrier is gone" for first home buyers in the Territory.

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The changes come alongside a range of measures designed to encourage new housing supply, including support for the delivery of so-called "missing middle" housing such as terraces, townhouses and low-rise multi-unit developments.

The announcement has renewed debate around whether the ACT's approach could provide a blueprint for improving housing affordability nationally.

New research from OurTop10.com.au, conducted by Primara Research, suggests the Territory's decade-long reform agenda has produced outcomes unmatched elsewhere in Australia.

While stamp duty costs have increased by an average 67 per cent nationally over the past decade, the ACT has recorded growth of just 15 per cent, the lowest increase of any jurisdiction.

The Territory has also emerged as one of the strongest performers on housing delivery. Based on population-weighted housing targets, the ACT is sitting less than one per cent behind its target. Victoria is the next closest at seven per cent behind, while the national average sits 25 per cent below target. New South Wales is tracking 39 per cent behind.

The latest reform removes one of the final barriers facing first home buyers in Canberra.

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The average Australian home buyer currently pays $61,714 in stamp duty. In the ACT, that figure is $38,399 despite the Territory having the third-highest median house price in the country.

Until now, the ACT's first home buyer concession scheme only applied to purchases up to $1.02 million, around $51,000 below Canberra's median house price of $1.071 million. In practical terms, many first home buyers were unable to access the median-priced home without losing the concession.

From July, those restrictions disappear.

Every first home buyer in the ACT will pay no stamp duty, regardless of income or purchase price.

Canberra remains one of Australia's most expensive housing markets, with dwelling values increasing 82 per cent over the past decade. However, that growth ranks only 11th among Australia's 15 major housing markets, suggesting affordability pressures have been less severe than in many other parts of the country.

Simon Ma, CEO of OurTop10.com.au, said the latest reforms recognise that many first home buyers have simply outgrown thresholds set years ago.

"Many first home buyers aren't just looking for a way onto the ladder, they want a home their family can actually live in," Ma said.

"In a market where the median house price is over a million dollars, a concession scheme that cuts out at $1.02 million was never going to get them there.

"Removing the ceiling entirely means ACT first home buyers can now pursue the home they actually want, rather than limiting themselves to a price point designed for a very different market."

Whether other states follow remains to be seen. But at a time when most jurisdictions are struggling to improve affordability while also increasing housing supply, the ACT has quietly become the national test case for both.

15% stamp duty growth. Just 1% off the national housing target. Zero stamp duty for FHBs. Is the ACT the blueprint for the great Australian dream?

ACT abolishes stamp duty for first home buyers

A rooftop pool and spa overlooking the Brisbane CBD, private dining spaces, expansive landscaped gardens and a residents' lounge are set to crown <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/callista-on-park-west-end-49-mollison-street-west-end-qld-4101">Callista on Park</a>, the final residential building within Brisbane's West Village precinct.

The rooftop amenity collection has been designed as an extension of the lifestyle already established throughout West Village, providing residents with a series of indoor and outdoor spaces that capitalise on the building's elevated position above West End.

A swimming pool and heated spa form the centrepiece of the rooftop offering, surrounded by landscaped gardens developed through a collaboration between developer Sekisui House and ASPECT Studios. The design incorporates expansive lawn areas surrounded by English garden-inspired planting.

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Residents will also have access to two barbecue and outdoor dining areas positioned to take advantage of views across Brisbane's skyline, neighbouring Mollison Park, and the surrounding inner-city landscape.

For larger gatherings, the rooftop includes a private dining room centred around a substantial stone island bench, complete with a full kitchen and a 10-seat dining table set beneath four-metre-high ceilings. The space has been designed to overlook both the rooftop gardens and the Brisbane CBD skyline.

A separate residents' lounge provides an additional indoor retreat connected to the broader rooftop amenity offering, creating another space for residents to work, relax or entertain guests.

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The attention to detail extends beyond the rooftop.

Upon arrival, residents will enter through a lobby featuring a bespoke ceiling light installation developed in collaboration between Sekisui House and Alcorn Middleton Architecture. The arrival experience is complemented by private resident mailboxes and carefully considered interior finishes designed to reflect the premium positioning of the building.

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The amenity offering forms part of Callista on Park, the final residential release within the decade-long transformation of the former Peters Ice Cream Factory site into West Village, one of Brisbane's most established mixed-use communities.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hutchinson-builders">Hutchinson Builders</a>, Callista represents the most premium residential offering within the masterplanned precinct.

Construction is now entering its final stages, with scaffolding beginning to come down and completion expected in the first quarter of 2027.

Prices for the three-bedroom plus MPR apartments start from just over $2.6 million.

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Callista will mark the final opportunity to purchase within West Village, where residents have direct access to more than 35 retail, dining, wellness and medical operators including Harris Farm Markets, Woolworths, Function Well and Goodlife Health Clubs, Metro Arts, and a growing collection of restaurants and cafés.

Located just 800 metres from the Brisbane CBD, the precinct also places residents within walking distance of South Bank, West End's dining scene, riverfront parklands and major public transport connections.

For Sekisui House, which has delivered more than two million homes globally, Callista serves as the concluding piece of the West Village masterplan, bringing together the precinct's heritage character, parkland setting and emphasis on walkability in a final collection of larger-format residences.

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Rooftop pool, private dining and skyline gardens to crown West Village's final apartment release, Callista on Park

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/wahroonga-nsw-2076">Wahroonga</a>’s enduring appeal has long been tied to its balance of bushland, established amenity, and access to some of Sydney’s most respected education and healthcare institutions.

Along Fox Valley Road, that combination is becoming increasingly sought after by buyers looking to remain connected to the Upper North Shore lifestyle while prioritising walkability, wellbeing, and convenience.

Developer Capital Corporation's initial vision of a 62-hectare site on Fox Valley Road was that they could create their own walkable community, bordered by&nbsp;more than 25 hectares of bushland and adjoining Coups Creek.

<img alt="Wahroonga" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b84917a1-0d75-49b9-888c-ddf7ebfd6692" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/NEW2026_Wahroonga_Walkway.gif?VersionId=Gk3_xi5ssYfalmwuQQ5umQakddceC31j" />

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-residences-at-wahroonga-estate-169-fox-valley-road-wahroonga-nsw-2076">The Residences at Wahroonga Estate</a> draws directly on the area’s natural landscape, with walking trails and green corridors linking into sections of Lane Cove National Park. The surrounding network of bushwalks, cycling tracks, and reserves reinforces the suburb’s long-standing reputation as one of Sydney’s most nature-oriented residential pockets, while still maintaining close ties to village retail and transport infrastructure.

The address places residents within minutes of Wahroonga and Turramurra villages, where cafés, local grocers, boutiques, and everyday services support a highly localised lifestyle. Popular nearby venues including The Fox Café and Breeze Valley Café provide easy options for morning coffee or casual dining, while longstanding retailers such as IGA Wahroonga Fresh and Novella Fine Books continue to anchor the area’s village character.

&nbsp;

<img alt="Wahroonga" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c4a950f7-4f05-4370-b360-b106359788e5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/2026_Wahroonga_Entry_Gates.gif?VersionId=7n5kh9ymu.azYEYDemJkPgiIAfSw44oj" />

Healthcare access remains one of the defining locational advantages of the estate. Sydney Adventist Hospital, known locally as The San, sits directly adjacent and is one of the largest and most respected private hospitals in New South Wales. The hospital precinct incorporates specialist medical services, radiology, physiotherapy, and outpatient care, contributing to growing buyer demand from downsizers and owner-occupiers seeking long-term convenience and peace of mind.

Research commissioned by Capital Corporation found that health and wellbeing considerations are increasingly influencing downsizing decisions, particularly among buyers wanting to remain within familiar neighbourhoods while accessing medical infrastructure more easily.

Education has also historically underpinned demand across Wahroonga and the broader Upper North Shore. The estate sits close to several of Sydney’s leading private and independent schools, including Knox Grammar, Abbotsleigh, Barker College, Pymble Ladies’ College, Ravenswood School for Girls, and Loreto Normanhurst. Co-educational options including Wahroonga Adventist School and Sydney Adventist School further strengthen the area’s appeal to established families looking for long-term schooling pathways within a tightly held catchment.

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Transport connectivity supports the suburb’s liveability without compromising its quieter residential character. Wahroonga and Turramurra train stations provide direct rail access into the Sydney CBD, while the nearby Pacific Highway and M1 motorway strengthen links across the North Shore and broader metropolitan area. At the same time, the heavily treed streetscape and low-density character continue to distinguish the precinct from more urbanised parts of Sydney.

The Residences at Wahroonga Estate forms the first stage of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/capital-corporation">Capital Corporation</a>’s broader masterplanned vision for the precinct, delivered alongside the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/group-gsa">GroupGSA</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/coco-republic-interior-design">Coco Republic</a>, the development integrates landscaped communal spaces including a pet-friendly Green Spine, resident lounge, BBQ pavilion, and direct bushland access, reinforcing the project’s focus on outdoor connection and community-based living.

Now under construction by Gold Star iCIRT-rated builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/dasco-australia">DASCO</a>, The Residences at Wahroonga Estate will deliver a collection of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments priced from $990,000, with completion anticipated in 2027.

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Jonathan Chancellor

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