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<p>Commentary on the future direction of the residential property sector has been diverse.</p>
<p>As Gary Brinkworth, the boss of the Herron Todd White valuation firm recently noted, some observers are expecting a subtle slowdown, while others predict a catastrophic collapse.</p>
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<p>He suggests these views fail to understand the complexity of the Australian residential property sector and that having specialist knowledge at a localised level was key to good decision making.</p>
<p>It adds its can be difficult to keep up as markets adapt to the challenges around COVID-19.</p>
<p>"Some locations have seen monumental disturbance to their usual state of affairs, while others have barely registered a ripple.</p>
<p>"COVID-19 has amplified the diversity of Australia’s resident property markets by location, price point and property type," he added.</p>
<p>Well informed valuers, like well informed estate agents, are well informed on sales activity and price direction.</p>
<p>Brinkworth acknowledged Herron Todd White in Sydney made the decision in early March that all staff would work from home.</p>
<p>The decision was made to ensure that any potential exposure to the virus did not place further risk on other staff and their clients, whose homes they inspect daily.</p>
<p>They changed the way they conduct inspections - with hand sanitiser, face masks and disposable gloves becoming just as importan as their tablets and laser measurers.</p>
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<p>HTW has also developed a contactless inspection tool which allows occupants to take internal photos which feed straight into their valuation system, allowing valuations when a COVID-19 related concern means a property cannot be fully assessed.</p>
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<p>This has allowed mortgage applications to proceed instead of being delayed by weeks or even months until internal access became available.</p>
<p>His team, while noting some statistics may not yet be showing a decline in values across the Sydney market, have seen evidence from selling agents indicates that values are falling, particularly in some areas and for some price sectors, although not necessarily uniformly within these sub-markets.</p>
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<p>The rental market has seen a more immediate impact however, with listings increasing and rents falling, which will certainly have an impact on yields and prices.</p>
<p>Looking around the regions the Northern Beaches has appeared to absorb much of the negative sentiment and restrictions surrounding the pandemic, although "there is a strong chance you will be paying less than you would have three months ago for the same product."</p>
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<p>The slowdown in volumes of transactions in inner Sydney and the Eastern Suburbs made it difficult to ascertain any emerging pattern emerging, but HTW advised in previous downturns, the inner city market segment most vulnerable to volatility is the upsizer price bracket, typically from $2 million to $3 million.</p>
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<p>Like the eastern suburbs, the North Shore prestige market is more accustomed to off-market transactions, so recent restrictions around open for inspections and public auctions have not impacted this part of the market as much as lower price points.</p>
<p>Overall HTW conclude the long term outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic for the property market is uncertain.</p>
<p>The Sydney property market is resilient, as seen by the recovery from the 2017 to 2019 downturn. </p>
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Sydney residential market is resilient, but expect a slower return to normal after COVID-19

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<p>The online digital home loan platform Lendi and Aussie Home Loans have announced they have entered into an agreement to merge.</p>

<p>It has been mooted for a month.</p>

<p>The financial press had advised Aussie has 200 outlets and a $70 billion loan book that makes $50 million a year profit while Lendi is a loss maker, recently advising a $37 million loss with an $8 billion book.</p>

<p>Aussie has around 1000 brokers, and Lendi has around 200.</p>

<p>They intend for the proposed merger to "create a market leader in the Australian home loan market."</p>

<p>Lendi shareholders will hold the majority shareholding of 55 percent in the merged business, while Aussie’s current owner, CBA, will hold a 45 percent shareholding.</p>

<p>It will continue to provide funding for the Aussie Select branded home loan product.</p>

<p>The CBA chief executive officer, Matt Comyn said the combined business will have a stronger platform to offer "enhanced digital capabilities for Aussie brokers and a superior experience for customers."</p>

<p>Lendi CEO and co-founder David Hyman suggested it was an "exceptional opportunity" to drive the growth and digitisation of the two companies, both of which had "led disruptive change" in the Australian home loan market. </p>

<p>Aussie CEO James Symond suggested the merger was another important step in the almost 29-year evolution of Aussie as Australia’s leading retail mortgage broker.</p>

<p>"We are currently posting record lending volumes through our network of over 970 brokers and over 210 stores and, by underpinning Lendi’s technology across our national broker network, we will further accelerate this growth and momentum.”</p>

<p>Completion of the transaction is subject to ACCC approval and other customary conditions.</p>

<p>It is expected to occur by mid calendar year 2021.</p>
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The Commonwealth Bank has announced the merger of its Aussie Home Loans business with online platform Lendi

Aussie Home Loans merges with Lendi

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<p>Infinity by Crown Group at Green Square has taken out yet another major industry award, this time the Urban Developer’s Development of the Year in its high density residential category. </p>

<p>The tightly held complex has a limited number of apartments with studios priced from $639,000, and two-bedroom apartments from $1,269,000.</p>

<p>Penthouses are for sale, with prices available on request at the 301 Botany Road, Zetland landmark.  </p>

<p>The accolade follows two major wins for the project last month, when it earned the most innovative development in the Urban Taskforce development excellence awards and the HIA NSW apartment complex at the 2020 HIA-CSR NSW housing and kitchen &amp; bathroom awards. </p>

<p>Infinity was completed in 2019, as the gateway to the newly developed Green Square Town Centre.</p>

<p><img alt="" height="843" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/infinity_by_crown_1.jpg" width="1200"></p>

<p>Its 2015 launch saw sales priced up to $3.45 million when more than $350 million worth of apartments were sold at the launch.</p>

<p>Prices for the apartments started from $650,000.</p>

<p>Infinity by Crown Group has 329 residential apartments and 74 hotel apartments in the 20-storey building that has an eye-catching looped design.</p>

<p>Its resort-style facilities for residents include an open-air pool, spa, sauna, gym, roof top terrace, sky lounge, two piano rooms and theatre.</p>

<p>There is also a retail and dining plaza offering the new Italian Street Kitchen, Social Society, McDonald’s, KFC, Bashan Noodles, Gong Cha, Miracle Supermarket and Infinity Health Medical Centre.</p>

<p>The site will soon play host to a 425-seat Infinity Convention Centre.</p>
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Infinity was completed in 2019, as the gateway to the newly developed Green Square Town Centre.



Infinity by Crown Group at Green Square takes out the Urban Developer’s Development of the Year award in its high density residential category 

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<p>The former chief executive of Ferrari Australasia, Herbert Appleroth has listed his Rose Bay harbourfront garden apartment.</p>

<p>It goes to auction next February with $13 million hopes, a record for the suburb which has seen fresh records paid during 2020.</p>

<p>Appleroth paid $7.58 million off the plan for the three-bedroom garden apartment in the Bord De L’eau development in 2016.</p>

<p>He settled on the 218sqm unit in mid-2019, about six months before he departed Ferrari. </p>

<p>The triplex apartment was designed by architects MHN Design Union. </p>

<p>Appleroth, an heir to the Aeroplane Jelly fortune, then sought a bespoke design from interior designers Jo Lawless and Darren Palmer.</p>

<p>It is fully automated, with American oak floors.</p>

<p>It comes with Bang &amp; Olufsen sound system.</p>

<p>It comes with Vitroesa Italian sliders to its private garden designed by Will Dangar.</p>

<p><img alt="" height="1469" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/appleroth_rose_bay_2.jpg" width="2000"></p>

<p>There’s also a marble kitchen with a New York-style bar.</p>

<p>It is being marketed as house-like by LJ Hooker Avnu agent Michael Coombs.</p>

<p>Another New South Head Road apartment offering in the nearby a penthouse in the nearby Wintergarden block sold for $11.25 million after it last traded for $7.5 million in 2016.</p>

<p>An inland Rose Bay penthouse apartment recently fetched $7.5 million in an off the plan sale through Ray White agents who secured a record $39,000 per sqm at 1 Carlisle by Fortis. </p>

<p>Appleroth now manages venture capital fund The Appleroth Future Fund.</p>

<p>His previous abode was on Pyrmont Wharf, which sold for a then-suburb record $13.3 million in 2017.</p>

<p>Appleroth reportedly plans to buy on lower north shore and a second home in Palm Beach.</p>
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The triplex apartment was designed by architects MHN Design Union

Former Ferrari Australiasia boss Herbert Appleroth lists luxury Rose Bay apartment for record price

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<div>The percentage of Melbourne's 639 weekend auction offerings that sold. The same June weekend last year had a 68% success rate with 1050 offerings, according to the REIV. Next weekend 670 properties are expected to go to auction in Melbourne.</div>
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<p>The auction clearance rate of Sydney’s 356 reported weekend offerings. The same June weekend last year had a 59% success rate with 503 offerings, according to APM. Next weekend 460 Sydney auctions are expected.</p>
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<p>The weekend’s highest bid, but it wasn’t enough to secure Deauville, the 1934 Point Piper residence on Sydney Harbour. There were three registered bidders, one of whom bid excess of the $16 million vendor bid when it went to auction through McGrath agent Ben Collier in conjunction with Laing &amp; Simmons agent Bart Doff.</p>
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<p>The number of properties that sold in Brighton, Victoria, the busiest suburb for auctions at the weekend. Eight of its 14 properties for sale found buyers, and two were <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/record-prices-for-brighton-sales-out-of-the-box/2011062050536" title="Brighton bathing boxes" target="_self">bathing boxes</a>, which fetched $221,000 and $260,000. They were sold by Hodges Brighton director Sam Paynter.</p>
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<p><a target="_blank" title="24 Park Street" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/trophy-homes/impressive-victorian/2011061650518"><img src="/images/stories/4point85.jpg"></a></p>
<p>The amount paid for the highest sale of the weekend, which was for a renovated Victorian house on 371 square metres at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/trophy-homes/impressive-victorian/2011061650518" title="24 Park Street, South Yarra" target="_blank">24 Park Street in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra</a>. It was announced on the market at $4.8 million, with competition for two bidders for the two-storey, 1895 house offered by by Marshall White agents Andrew Hayne and Peter Bennison.</p>
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Auction wrap: Where the hammer fell

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<p><img src="/images/stories/63.jpg"></p>
<p>Sydney’s weekend clearance rate from the preliminary 233 results compiled by Australian Property Monitors. There were 276 auctions held in Sydney. Clinton McNabb at APM says there are about 340 auctions due next weekend. After some further results came in from the July 16 auctions, Sydney recorded a 52% clearance rate, considerably lower than the 56% published figure.</p>
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<p style="vertical-align: top;">Melbourne’s weekend clearance rate from the preliminary 441 results compiled by the Real Estate Institute of Victoria. There were 490 auctions held in Melbourne. REIV chief executive Enzo Raimondo says there are about 585 auction due next weekend. After some further results came in from the July 16 auctions, Melbourne recorded a 55% clearance rate, lower than the 58% published figure from the initial Saturday results.</p>
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<p>The price paid for the property at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/auctions/potential-rental-yield-of-5.7-in-kirribilli/2011072150863/Page-1">61/67 Carabella Street, Kirribilli</a>, which went to auction on Saturday and was featured in <em>Property Observer</em>'s Friday Form Guide. Before the auction Sydney Boutique Property agents Tom Scarpignato and Chris Delaney marketed the property with $860,000 plus hopes. The current tenant pays $945 per week for the property, giving the new owner a yield of 5.28%, higher than the indicative gross <a target="_blank" title="RP Data Kirribilli" href="/news">rental yield for units in Kirribilli of 4.9%</a>, according to RP Data. </p>
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<p>The top sale of the weekend was in Seaforth, Sydney when a two-storey, four-bedroom house sold through Glen Wirth at Richardson &amp; Wrench Seaforth. It had last sold at $1.33 million in 2001. It had been marketed as bidding around the mid $2 million mark. </p>
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<p>A four-bedroom house in the Brisbane suburb of North Booval was the weekend’s cheapest sale, according to APM. It sold pre-auction through the Professionals Thornton Ipswich.  The home was affected by the January floods. The property has since been stripped back internally and is ready to be rebuilt. It was suggested the rental on completion would be $290 a rent.</p>
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Weekend auction wrap: where the hammer fell

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<p>Many suburbs in Sydney and Melbourne have been defying the downward-trending weekend auction clearance rates. Enmore, Lilyfield and St Peters – all in Sydney’s inner west – have achieved 80 auction clearance rates of more than 80%, against the 55% Sydney success rate rate, according to Australian Property Monitors.</p>
<p>Abbotsford, Chadstone, Windsor, Ivanhoe East, Malvern and Albert Park are the standout performers in Melbourne, with year to date 75% success rates, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria. Albert Park had the country’s highest weekend sale at $6.62 million.</p>
<p><img src="/images/stories/60.jpg"></p>
<p>Sydney’s weekend auction clearance, which was the strongest since a 60% result in late February. The preliminary Australian Property Monitors result came from 353 of the 451 weekend listings, so the proof of any significant improvement in the success rate will come in the unreported final 98 results. APM notes that July’s opening weekend has just the 300 listings.</p>
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<p>Melbourne’s success rate on the weekend, according to the REIV’s tally of 611 auctions. It takes the 2011 tally to just over 13,000 auctions and an overall 59% clearance rate. There are about 470 auctions next weekend, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.</p>
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<a target="_blank" title="Unrivalled potential in Albert Park" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/trophy-homes/unrivalled-potential-in-albert-park/2011062350585"><img src="/images/stories/6point62.jpg"></a>
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<p>Rosebank, a 960-square-metre holding on <a target="_blank" title="Unrivalled potential in Albert Park" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/trophy-homes/unrivalled-potential-in-albert-park/2011062350585">St Vincent Place North in the Melbourne suburb of Albert Park</a>, was the weekend’s top seller across the country. It was officially announced on the market at $6,275,000, with just the one further bidder entering the competition who happened to beat the persistent opening $4.05 million bidder. There were four bidders all up. Rosebank, with a double-fronted Italianate Victorian facade, had been in the Lay family for 52 years. It sold through Simon Gowling at Marshall White.</p>
<p>The holding, with two rear workers timber cottages and double-storey brick stables, had a $4.8 million unimproved capital value and a $5.3 million capital improved value, according to the latest valuation. The property requires significant modernisation. Ross Lay won nine club championships at the Albert Park Bowling Club, just opposite the house, after joining the club in 1970. His late wife, Lillian, had a flower shop in Albert Park.</p>
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<p>The cheapest offering was also in Melbourne, and also through Marshall White. It was a 24-square-metre studio apartment on Mathoura Road in Toorak. The unit is in a 1941 Roy Grounds-designed building, Moonbria. It sold through Jason Brinkworth and James Redfern.</p>
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<p>Sydney’s dearest weekend house price sale was in Mosman through Belle agent Tim Foote, who had initial $3.25 million plus hopes. The five-bedroom Prince Albert Street bungalow had previously traded at $2.65 million  in 2006, thereby reflecting 3.8% annual growth.</p>
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Weekend auction wrap: Where the hammer fell

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<p>Prices continue to ease across all capital cities, but as September hasn’t been swamped with fresh listings the early spring market appears set for a steady as she goes scenario. It will be late spring when the resilience of the market faces its biggest test.</p>
<p>Melbourne's median house prices stood at $551,056 over the July quarter, according to Australian Property Monitors data.</p>
<p>It indicated that median housing prices in the Melbourne market remain subdued as it represented a 0.9% fall from the $555,958 recorded in the April quarter.</p>
<p>“It nonetheless recorded the smallest quarterly fall of all the capital cities,” Dr Andrew Wilson, senior economist for Australian Property Monitors, says.</p>
<p>Perth and Brisbane continue to be the worst-performing capitals with their median house prices down by 2.7% and 2.1% respectively. They were followed by Adelaide and Darwin, down by 1.9%, Hobart and Canberra, down by 1.5%, and Sydney where the median house price fell by 1.1%.</p>
<p>Sydney's median house price fell from $646,806 over the April quarter this year to $639,484 over the July quarter.</p>
<p>Melbourne's median house price has fallen by 2.9% over the year to July compared with Sydney, where median house prices are down by just 0.6%. </p>
<p>“This is good for stability and confidence, considering prices rose 20% in the 18 months from January 2009 to June 2010.</p>
<p>"Sydney has recorded the best outcome among capital cities through the market's recent corrective phase brought on by rising interest rates and house prices that put pressure on affordability in most centres,” Wilson notes.</p>
<p><img src="/images/stories/55.jpg"></p>
<p>Melbourne’s clearance rate slipped from its revised 57% on the July 20/21 weekend, according Enzo Raimondo at the Real Estate Institute of Victoria. There were a total of 525 auctions on the weekend, of which 289 sold and 236 were passed in, 164 of those on a vendor's bid.</p>
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<p>Sydney’s clearance rate slipped from its revised 57% on the July 20/21 weekend, according to Andrew Wilson at Australian Property Monitors.</p>
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<p>For the first weekend of spring the REIV is expecting only a slight boost in Melbourne auction numbers over last weekend, to 530.</p>
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<p>The number of auctions expected to be held in Sydney next weekend.  APM research analyst Clinton McNabb says this is slightly down on the 362 listings over the last weekend.</p>
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<p>Sydney’s most expensive property to go under the was a two-bedroom 1950s house in Gladesville through Ray White agent Robert Cassidy. It last sold at $1.67 million in 1999, reflecting 5.5% annual growth. It had been recently in the rental pool at around $850 a week.</p>
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<p>Lethbridge Park offered Sydney’s cheapest auction sale, according to APM. It was a four-bedroom house that last sold in 1998 at $87,000, reflecting 7.8% annual growth. It had been recently in the rental pool at $260 a week. It sold through Richardson &amp; Wrench Rooty Hill agents Colin Mackenzie and Roy Amery.</p>
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<p>Adelaide’s top weekend sale was a three-bedroom house at Netherby. It sold through Klermich Real Estate Kent Town agent Steve Alexander. The house set on a  1393-square-metre block had been listed with an  $895,000 to $945,000 pre-auction price estimate.</p>
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<p>Brisbane’s cheapest sale was a three-bedroom house sold through the Professionals Redland Bay agent Denise Cusack. Its been for sale since last September when it had a $329,000 asking price. It last sold for $147,000 in 2002, reflecting 5.9% annual growth.</p>
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<p>The country’s dearest house price was on a beachfront reserve house on Kent Avenue, Brighton, in Victoria. It had been passed in at $6.35 million despite having four bidders with two bidders above the $6 million mark when auctioned by Buxton Brighton agent Brian Devlin and Regina Schmidt. The 665-square-metre three-level Art Deco residence on  665 square metres has two bathrooms, powder room, living/dining area, family room, rooftop deck, pool and garage.</p>
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<p style="text-align: right;">- a Consumer Affairs Department spokesperson.</p>
<p>But it didn't appease <em>The Block</em> producer Julian Cress, who said it came as no surprise that Consumer Affairs cleared Channel 9 of any wrong doing considering there wasn’t any wrongdoing in the first place. Cress says the pre-auction publicity surrounding CAV's investigation contributed to potential buyers not attending the auction.</p>
<p>"It certainly had an effect on our outcome.’’</p>
<p>Only one property sold under the hammer during the lacklustre Saturday night auction, with the three others since sold.<br><br></p>
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Quote of the week

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<p style="vertical-align: top;">Neither Sydney nor Melbourne has enjoyed any clear ascendancy when it comes to the highest weekend auction clearance rates. Indeed, for most of this year the title of best-performing capital city has yo-yoed between the two. Adelaide briefly took line honours on one weekend earlier this month. It has now been 12 weeks that Melbourne’s weekend auction clearance rate has been stuck below 60%. Sydney’s has been there since February.  </p>
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<p style="vertical-align: top;">Sydney’s weekend clearance rate from the preliminary 204 results compiled by Australian Property Monitors. There were 242 auctions held in Sydney, which was 22% down on the 314 auctions on the third Saturday in July 2010. Clinton McNabb at APM says there are about 290 auctions due next weekend. After some further results came in from the July 9 auctions, Sydney recorded a 52% clearance rate, slightly lower than the 53% published figure.</p>
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<p style="vertical-align: top;">Melbourne’s weekend clearance rate from the preliminary 377 results compiled by the Real Estate Institute of Victoria. There were 584 auctions held in Melbourne on the third Saturday in July 2010. REIV chief executive Enzo Raimondo says there are about 495 auction due next weekend. After some further results came in from the July 9 auctions, Melbourne recorded a 53% clearance rate, slightly lower than the 56% published figure from the initial Saturday results.</p>
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<p>The release of the REIV's June quarter median prices shows the median price of Melbourne houses sold at auction increased 1.2% to a $730,000 median, while those sold at private sale rose 1% to a $500,000 median.</p>
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<p style="vertical-align: top;">The weekend’s highest sale was a four-bedroom, late-Edwardian residence at Aberfeldie. It had been marketed as likely to fetch between $1.4 million and $1.54 million through Fabian Rosin at Nelson Alexander Essendon. Aberfeldie is nine kilometers north west of Melbourne.</p>
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<p style="vertical-align: top;">A three-bedroom house on Bourke Road in Melton South on the outskirts of Melbourne was the weekend’s cheapest sale.</p>
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<img src="/images/stories/286.jpg"><p> </p>
<p style="vertical-align: top;">Sydney’s cheapest sale was a two-bedroom house at Merrylands through Jas Singh at<strong> </strong>Laing + Simmons Merrylands. There were three bidders.</p>
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<p>Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.</p>

<p>Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]</p>

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

<p>Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.</p>

<p>Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.</p>

<p>Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]</p>

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

<p>Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.</p>

<p>David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.</p>

<p>“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]</p>

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

<p>While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.</p>

<p>Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;</p>


Joel Robinson

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

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


Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

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


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

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


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

<p>It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.</p>

<p>Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.</p>

<p>Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be</p>

<p data-end="683" data-start="511">"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.</p>

<p data-end="882" data-start="690">"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."</p>

<p data-end="882" data-start="690">[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]</p>

<p>The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.</p>

<p>The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.</p>

<p>Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]</p>

<p>Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.</p>

<p>The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]</p>

<p data-end="247" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="" data-start="0">While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.</p>

<p>WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.</p>

<p>With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]</p>


Jonathan Chancellor

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