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Melbourne secured a 79% weekend clearance rate compared to 77% last weekend and 72% this weekend last year.
There were 872 auctions reported to the REIV on the second weekend of August.
There were about 2,700 auctions in the month of July, with 77% selling.
"This is up 14% from the same time last year, with auction sales also notably higher (up 22%) in comparison to July 2014," REIV's Enzo Raimondo noted.
The top sale was a three house offering in Kew through Jellis Craig.
TOP 5 HOUSES
1. 41 Atkins Street, Kew $4,325,000
2. 26 Maleela Avenue, Balwyn $4,040,000
3. 2-4 Delmore Crescent, Glen Waverley $3,458,000
4. 93 Wattletree Road, Armadale $3,000,000
5. 9 Renwick Street, Glen Iris $2,875,000
 
TOP 5 BARGAIN HOUSES
1. 11 Drouin Street, Dallas $260,000
2. 64 Barries Road, Melton $285,000
3. 25 Wattleglen Street, Craigieburn $305,000
4. 11 Matthews Court, Pakenham $311,000
5. 2 Charlton Street, Broadmeadows $321,000
 
TOP 5 APARTMENTS
1. 98 Orlando Street, Hampton $2,850,000
2. 100 Orlando Street, Hampton $2,590,000
3. 48/350 Beaconsfield Parade, St Kilda $2,020,000
4. 3/31B Nepean Highway, Aspendale $1,650,000
5. 1/58 Grange Road, Sandringham $1,282,000
 
TOP 5 BARGAIN APARTMENTS
1. C16/1-5 Grantham Street, Brunswick West $165,000
2. 2/6-7 Coventry Place, Melton $197,000
3. 16/16 Eastcote Street, Sunshine North $265,000
4. 3/5 Empire Street, Footscray $270,000
5. 29/34-42 Hanna Street, Noble Park $291,000
Source <a href="https://www.reiv.com.au/RESEARCH/Auctions/Auction-Results" target="_blank">REIV</a>
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Melbourne clearance rates bettering August 2015: REIV

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The Biggest Loser fitness trainers Michelle Bridges and Steve "Commando" Willis are set to stay in their Potts Point apartment following the birth of their first child.
Recent Birchgrove neighbourhood gossip had them making their family home on the peninsula, but the recently renovated historic sandstone house is actually scheduled for September 19 auction. 
The cottage is nearing the end of a two-year plus renovation with workmen cleaning the 370 square metre site which has harbour and city skyline views.
It was bought for $2.35 million in 2011 by Michele Bridges and her then husband, Bill Moore.
Given Bridges regular recent sightings at the Wharf Road work site, neighbours gleefully thought the Birchgrove property would become the home of Bridges and her new partner, Steve Willis.
The celebrity couple are expecting their first child together, having announced last month that Michelle was four months into her pregnancy.
It was early 2013 when the then Biggest Loser star and her husband, Bill Moore decided to split after nine years of marriage, while keeping their multimillion-dollar fitness empire intact, with Bill retaining his role as business manager.
The couple had met at Moore's Balmain gym and then renovated their Rozelle house, where Moore continues to reside.
Their desired renovations were approved in 2012 despite concerns by a small number of neighbours at the bulk of the proposed garage/gymnasium sought to replace the existing outbuilding.
The C &amp; D Exclusive Constructions work team were prepping the two storey house last week for the furniture staging ahead of the Cobden Hayson auction.
This article was first published in The Sunday Telegraph.
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Birchgrove property co-owned by Michelle Bridges listed

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The Commonwealth Bank of Australia plans to introduce restrictions on lending to first-home buyers and investors for property purchases in greenfield housing estates.
The bank has advised brokers that the approval of finance for buyers of land lots would be delayed until all preliminary work on the project has been completed.
Developers now worry that the plan will have an adverse impact on the housing sector in the outer suburbs of Australia’s capital cities.
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia plans to tighten conditions for loans to new housing developments, where in a presentation to brokers, seen by The Australian Financial Review.
It noted presentation to brokers, marked "confidential", will restrict pre-sales of houses and likely put further pressure on prices by limiting the supply of houses.  
Currently many developers have to pre-sell many lots on a planned site before a bank will lend money needed to start earthworks and install water, sewerage and electricity services.
The AFR says investors account for as much as 45% of buyers in new housing developments.
"There is no justification for cutting off the credit tap for new residential development," said Harley Dale, the HIA's chief economist.
"It would be very concerning at this point in time if it became more difficult for people to get into a new home, which is the end issue here."
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CBA to restrict greenfield house and land lending

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Businessman Ken Allen and wife Christina have listed one of Sydney's finest estates, the 1891 Bellevue Hill mansion, Leura.
It comes with initially cautious $30 million plus advisory.
Some 29 years since last sold, the tightly held home has just had the six owners through its 125 years.
Its listing is perfectly timed as leading eastern suburbs agents are complaining there's simply not enough prestige property to satisfy the latent spring market demand.
<a href="https://www.raywhite.com/nsw/bellevue-hill/1345342/" target="_blank">Set on 4,260 square metres Leura</a> is a trophy home unparalleled in grace, style and historic significance.
It was built on the Bellevue Hill ridge line for the Knox family, of the then burgeoning Colonial Sugar Refinery empire. The middle aged Tom Knox had Leura, and his older brother, Edward had nearby Rona, probably both designed by the same architect, Walter Vernon Liberty. Tom Knox, who had married into the Victorian pastoralist Ritchie family, was the managing director of Dalegty, the stock and station agency.
Those pioneering Knox brothers chose the hillside panorama long before Sydney Harbour’s famous icons, partly because of the unsanitary conditions down on the water's edge.
"It is a monument to the Federation Queen Anne style of architecture from the era," Ray White Double Bay listing agent Michael Finger says.
Finger's Ray White colleague Di Wilson says the property was purchased in the mid-1950s by Cranbrook School for boarders.
With privacy at the very end of a circular driveway off Victoria Road, the eight bedroom home combines traditional opulence and modern design. There's a tennis court and resort swimming pool...and private level lawns overlooked by wide north facing verandahs. 
It last traded through Michael Finger in 1986 for a then very impressive $7.3 million when sold by the top end home restorer Bill Shipton, who'd engaged building designer, Roderick Learoyd, trained at the Oxford School of Architecture, to assist in its renaissance.
The 1986 sale to the New Zealand businessman heralded the brief mid-1980s trend of Kiwi entrepreneurs crossing the Tasman to try their luck in Sydney, all with trophy home acquisition to boot. They included the Goodman Fielder Wattie chairman, Pat Goodman who secured another Shipton home, the 1917 Double Bay mansion, Verona. 
Most departed after the 1987 stockmarket crash, with Sydney not ever seeing the likes of Sir Frank Renouf, John Spencer, Rod Petricevic and Colin Reynolds again.
The calendar company patriarch Ken Allen and his wife, Christine, have homes in New Zealand and London.
This article was first published in The Sunday Telegraph.
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Leura, the trophy home Bellevue Hill spring 2015 offering

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The Victorian establishment Baillieu family have listed Tongy Station, at Cassilis near Merriwa in northern NSW.
It has been listed for the first time in almost 100 years, with expectations <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-mixed+farming-nsw-cassilis-7758509" target="_blank">the 4637-hectare station</a> that breeds Hereford and Merino stock could fetch more than $20 million.
Located on the banks of Talbragar River, the property features a Victorian standstone homestead amid manicured gardens. 
Tongy dates to 1825, when former convict Richard Fitzgerald was granted freehold title of the property by Governor Bourke for his services to the colony through agricultural management. 
Colliers International's Richard Royle is handling the sale with offers due September 14.  
The Baillieu family bought the property in 1923, The Land reported.
It was secured from Fitzgerald's five grand daughters. 
This Australian Dictionary of Biography described Richard Fitzgerald (1772-1840), convict, public servant and settler, as <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/fitzgerald-richard-2048" target="_blank">one of the most remarkable men to settle in early New South Wales</a>. 
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<div><img src="https://m.c.lnkd.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/jc/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAZCAAAAJDAwNzA0Y2UzLTYxMDQtNDVlYi1iNWMzLWQyNjQxMzQ0MDAxOQ.jpg" alt="Tongy Station"></div>
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The family owns Yarram Park, one of Victoria’s largest working sheep and cattle stations. 
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Tongy Station, Merriwa offered with $20 million plus hopes

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The Preston house on the first season of Channel Seven’s renovation program House Rules has been listed for August 29 auction.
It is the home of the contestant brothers, Nick and Chris Stavropoulos.
John Petsinis from Hocking Stuart has the three bedroom, two bathroom weatherboard house.
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One of its new features is the stacked-stone fireplace.
Jackman Street's most recent sale was $895,000 in July this year for another three bedroom 1930s cottage that last sold at $446,000 in 2008.
Nick and Chris, the Channel 7 Melbourne House Rules brothers handed over the keys to fellow renovation contestants of their Californian bungalow in Preston in 2013.
It came with a mortgage of $524,000 which would have beeen wiped off by Channel 7 if they had won the renovation competition series hosted by Johanna Griggs.
<img class="img-responsive" src="/images/stories/flexicontent/l_houserulesmay30breakout.jpg" alt="Preston House Rules renovation with $524,000 mortgage after $555,000 brotherly purchase">
The 1930s bungalow went to July 2012 Ray White auction without success, subsequently listed at $580,000.
The brothers paid $555,000 in August 2012 for the 1930s bungalow on its 475 square metre block.
"A lot of our money went into our deposit," <a href="/news/preston-house-rules-renovation-with-524-000-mortgage-after-555-000-brotherly-purchase">the Stavropoulos brothers told the House Rules viewers</a>. 
There was a subsequent $49,000 development application with Darebin Council.
The brothers, who also appeared on Channel 9’s Reno Rumble, have made a few minor alterations since the show, including extending the outdoor area.
No price guidance is being given.
The median price of houses in Preston has jumped 8.8 per cent over the past 12 months to $700,000, <a href="/news">according to CoreLogic RP Data</a>, having been at around $575,000 when the house was bought in mid-2012.
 
 
 
 
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Preston House Rules house hits the Melbourne auction market

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ASIC has commenced proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia against companies associated with Jamie McIntyre and the 21st Century Group in relation to their promotion to investors of five land banking schemes.
<img src="/images/2015/08/10/jamiemcintyre1.png" alt="">
ASIC alleges that the schemes are unregistered managed investment schemes and that the 21st Century Group companies and Mr McIntyre have been unlawfully carrying on an unlicensed financial services business.
The five schemes are promoted and advertised as:
<ul>
<li>Botanica, located at 805 Archer Rd, Kialla, Victoria 3631</li>
<li>Secret Valley Estate, located at  955, Old Sydney Road, Bylands, Victoria 3762</li>
<li>Oak Valley Lakes Estate &amp; Resort, located at  124 Booth Road, Brookhill, Townsville, Qld 4816.</li>
<li>Bendigo Vineyard Estate &amp; Resort, located at  51 Andrews Road, Bendigo, Victoria 3551</li>
<li>Melbourne Grove Estate, located at  1491 Dohertys Road, Mount Cottrell, Victoria 3024</li>
</ul>
ASIC understands that there are over 100 investors in the schemes, which have been promoted to investors, including through seminars, by entities associated with Mr  McIntyre's 21st Century Group.
Companies associated with Mr McIntyre and the 21st Century Group are also the developers of the schemes (development companies). 
ASIC is seeking orders to appoint a provisional liquidator or receiver and manager to each of the five schemes and the development companies in order to take control of any assets and protect the interests of investors.
The development companies are:
<ul>
<li>Archery Road Pty Ltd (ACN 162 921 735)</li>
<li>Bendigo Vineyard Estate Pty Ltd (ACN 600 088 211)</li>
<li>Secret Valley Estate Pty Ltd (ACN 602 817 532)</li>
<li>Kingsway South Holdings Pty Ltd (ACN 159 230 976)</li>
<li>Melbourne Tarniet Estate Pty Ltd (ACN 603 945 393)</li>
</ul>
ASIC is also taking action against the development companies and the following for being involved in an unlicensed financial services business.
<ul>
<li>Mr Jamie Neville McIntyre (Surfers Paradise Qld)</li>
<li>Mr Dennis McIntyre (Surfers Paradise Qld)</li>
<li>Property Tuition Pty Ltd (ACN 129 421 281)</li>
<li>Education Holdings Pty Ltd (ACN 129 551 917)</li>
<li>Sourcing Property Pty Ltd (ACN 602 474 779)</li>
</ul>
ASIC is also seeking orders that each of the defendants, including Mr McIntyre, be restrained from promoting, further promoting or operating any of the schemes and from operating a financial services business.
The matter is set down for a first hearing on Friday 14 August 2015.
ASIC’s proceedings are part of ASIC's wider and ongoing investigation into land banking schemes. 
ASIC last week took proceedings against Midland HWY, which was the developer of a land banking scheme known as, 'Hermitage Bendigo' (formerly, 'Acacia Banks')  located  outside of Bendigo in Victoria.  The 21st Century Group also promoted this development.
Land banking is a real estate investment scheme involving the acquisition of large blocks of land by a promoter or developer of the scheme, often in undeveloped rural areas, who then offer portions of the land to investors. 
Land banking companies typically promote the investment with representations of high potential returns if the land is redeveloped, or if plans for rezoning and development are finalised.
Investors either purchase a lot in the land, or acquire an option to purchase a lot of land in an unregistered plan of subdivision.  The option agreement is triggered at a time that the necessary development is approved by the local council.
While ASIC does not regulate direct property investment, ASIC considers that land banking schemes, depending on the particular scheme, may be a managed investment scheme and/or a financial product and that the promoters of these schemes should therefore hold an Australian financial services licence and register these schemes with ASIC.
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Land banking Jamie McIntyre's 21st Century Group facing ASIC proceedings

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A crackdown on speculative investor lending can only be good for the property market.
The pressure placed on banks by Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), to curb lending to investors, will ultimately create a more stable market and lessen any risk poised by speculative buyers.
It is hoped that the changes will also take some heat out of section of the Sydney and Melbourne property prices. 
We are not expecting it will create a big difference as population growth and an undersupply of homes should keep buyer demand in both markets strong.
Property remains a much more stable and secure investment than other assets.
And because of this investors have come to residential real estate significantly in the past couple of years, probably to the detriment of the equities market. 
Many are sophisticated and more in tune with the market than in the past because they are now able to undertake research or reengage real estate agents who are now` better informed on valuation and yields.
As long as they stay wary of speculative markets and stick with more stable markets where they can buy with a degree of confidence.
While nothing is without risks, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide are unlikely to see a dramatic increase in rental vacancies.
The reality is that people have to live somewhere and there remains a fundamental shortage in the major markets of properties versus population growth.
Investing in property offers a lower risk in comparison to other asset classes.
In the background, however, banks are beginning to lower their valuations to avoid excessive speculation with demand for property being strong. 
Investors are typically unemotional when buying assets; while owner-occupiers are buying a lifestyle.
You have to be very careful when creating a property portfolio that you are in line with the value of the asset as determined by market and the banks.
Typically investors will retract if there is talk around prices coming back or valuations being different to the market. They are rationale investors focused on yields and capital growth. 
The good news is most are well covered.
Even significant movement wouldn’t be enough to cause the sudden flow of distressed properties coming into the market.
Most property are not excessively geared and as long as they have income, investors will ride out any lows. 
 
Grant Harrod is chief executive office of JL Hooker.
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Property investors will ride out any market lows: Grant Harrod

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Master Builders Australia enforced the importance of affordable housing for lower income earners in its submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics Inquiry into Home Ownership in Australia.
"Social housing provides a roof-over-the-head for more than 397,000 – or about 4% of - Australian households. 
"National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) is a key mechanism for providing housing assistance to those in genuine housing need, and an important instrument of social policy in Australia. 
"The better approach for NAHA (and/or its successors) must be to clear the roadblocks to improved housing affordability (especially those imposed by State, Territory and Local Governments), which will help to increase the supply and reduce the cost of housing, rather than providing government subsidies and other forms of assistance to try to offset unwarranted cost pressures on the supply and the price of housing."
Master Builders Australia is pleased that the Federal Government recognizes the issue of unaffordable housing in all capital cities in Australia. According to the submission, a few points contributed to the problem.
"Shortages of available land and inefficient land release strategies; infrastructure costs being loaded onto developers and in turn passed on to home owners; excessive infrastructure specifications in subdivisions; excessive development levies, taxes and charges imposed by State and Territory governments; excessive planning and building requirements; regulatory creep pushing codes and standards higher than required; and, un-coordinated local and state government environmental regulations. 
"Master Builders estimates the national housing supply shortfall (supply falling behind demand) has risen to more than 107,000 dwellings, which in turn contributes to housing affordability pressures."
Master Builders calls on the Federal Government to commit to, and deliver upon its National Housing Affordability Agenda key elements.  
"Tangible outcomes in improving the efficiency, and the supply-side efficiency in particular, of the Australian housing market. Annual publication by the Federal Department of Industry on its website of a rigorous and transparent stocktake of approaches to developer/infrastructure charges by all local governments in Australia.
"Streamlined and simplified development approvals processes, achieved through, inter alia, greater reliance on code-based assessment, identification of best practice development approval procedures amongst State, Territory and local governments, as well as expanded use of performance monitoring and benchmarking.
"Local governments to develop and promulgate individual realisable Land Release Plans for their own jurisdictions over a ten year rolling time horizon.
"The realisation of a genuine, rigorous, enforceable and uniform building code and regulatory system to ensure the development and continuation of an efficient and competitive building industry."
Efficient Housing Market
"An efficient housing market would have a number of features, including: a supply-side which is responsive to changes in demand-side drivers; one not burdened by distortions to market prices (the principal method by which housing demand signals are transmitted to housing suppliers); regulatory, as well as subsidy and taxation interventions, which distort and reduce the efficient operation of the housing market, are minimal, transparent and based on sound economic principles. 
"Where governments and other regulators wish to achieve social and other policy objectives in the housing sector, these outcomes be pursued through directly relevant policy instruments and in a manner which has the least possible distortion impact on the housing market."
Investor-Supplied Housing 
"Investor housing plays an important role in the supply of new residential dwellings in Australia. Investor housing likely accounted for more than 30 per cent of spending on new residential construction, on average, annually between 1985 and 2012. 
"Investors in ‘negatively geared’ dwellings likely accounted for just over 1.9 million residential dwellings, accommodating some 4.8 million people. 
"Absent the housing stock provided by housing investors, it is not clear where these people would find residential dwellings to live in – public- and social- housing almost certainly could not meet such demand." 
"As can be seen in Graph 8.1, some 40%of Australian taxpayers claiming negative net income from rental properties in the 2010/11 financial year fell into the ‘middle income’ bracket of between $37,001 and $80,000 per annum, with another 23 per cent being the lower-middle income bracket of between $6,001 to $37,000 per annum. 
"By contrast, a mere 5% of taxpayers claiming negative net income from rental properties in that financial year fell into the ‘high income’ bracket – that is, persons earning more than $180,000 per annum. 
"As such, any ill-considered action to wind-back, let alone eliminate, ‘negative gearing’ would amount to an ‘assault on the frugal middle class Australian’, rather than the ‘rich’ as some may claim. 
Taxes
"The building and construction sector is one of the most intensely taxed in Australia, and bears a direct and indirect tax burden from all levels of government — Federal, State and Territory, and Local."
More taxation attracts less investments and employment opportunities reducing housing affordability.
"Master Builders’ high level tax reform priorities call for a comprehensive review of the narrow GST base.
"Any increase in the GST rate must not be undertaken without first effecting comprehensive tax reform; reducing the company tax rate to 25 per cent; reducing the differential between the higher marginal personal income tax rates and the company tax rate; simplifying tax compliance; retaining the tax exempt status of home ownership and negative gearing; providing incentives for the removal of inefficient state taxes including infrastructure taxes, charges and levies; and, introducing a reducing, stepped rate of capital gains tax."
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Master Builders push home ownership for low income earners

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Complacent mortgage holders who aren’t capitalising on low interest rates and intense lender competition could be costing themselves, according to Smartline Personal Mortgage Advisers.
"Many borrowers are unaware that any discount from the lender’s standard variable rate they secure now will stay with them with that lender in future years," Smartline adviser Michael Karp.
“Working out whether you can get a better deal on your home loan is one of those things that often ends up in people’s ‘too hard’ basket – it’s seen as being a difficult and tedious process,” Mr Karp said.
“In this current environment, the bank might offer you a 0.8% discount off their standard variable rate in the knowledge most people will not ask for more – but a mortgage adviser may well be able to get you something like a 1.0% discount depending on your circumstances.
"Take the example of a $350,000, 30 year loan at an 80% lend.
"The standard variable interest rate on offer is 5.45% and a borrower, who goes direct to their lender, secures a discount of 0.8%, making the rate 4.65%. 
"However, a second borrower uses a mortgage adviser who is able to secure a discount of 1.0% to make the interest rate 4.45%.
"As a result, the second borrower saves a total of $7130 in interest over the life of the loan (if the rate stayed the same)."
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Mortgage discounts stay once secured: Smartline 

The Gold Coast economy has grown by 25 per cent since 2020/21 to surpass $55 billion, but perhaps the more significant story is what sits behind the headline number.

For decades, the Gold Coast has been viewed through the lens of tourism, lifestyle and population growth. The latest State of the City Report suggests that perception is increasingly out of step with reality.

Released by Invest Gold Coast, the report ranks the Gold Coast as Australia's largest non-capital city economy and, perhaps more notably, second nationally behind Sydney for Economic Complexity, a measure that assesses the diversity and sophistication of an economy.

It's a result that places the Gold Coast ahead of Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, highlighting the extent to which the city's economic base has broadened beyond its traditional industries.

Today, the Gold Coast supports more than 350,000 jobs, is home to over 83,000 businesses and generates $19 billion in annual exports. Manufacturing now accounts for 62 per cent of international export growth, while sectors including health, education, advanced manufacturing, technology and professional services are becoming increasingly important contributors to the local economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the report confirmed the city's evolution into one of Australia's most significant economies.

"The Gold Coast economy continues to grow at an incredible pace. This is no surprise to those of us who have watched the evolution up close," Mayor Tate said.

"As one of the most entrepreneurial, investment driven and opportunity focused economies in the country our ambition has been realised and possibilities are endless.

"The Gold Coast has built a reputation as the city that says yes. We say yes to investment, yes to opportunity and yes to people who want to build something.

"It's this mindset helping us drive major growth across health, advanced manufacturing, screen production, marine, technology and the knowledge economy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360975]

While population growth has been one of the defining stories of the past decade, the report points to a broader economic transformation taking place.

The city's knowledge economy now contributes $7.9 billion annually and supports around 31,000 jobs, while the health and wellbeing sector contributes $5.2 billion and employs more than 42,000 people. Together, the six priority sectors identified in the report account for almost $24 billion in economic output and more than 145,000 jobs.

One of the strongest examples is the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct at Southport. The 200-hectare precinct now contains more than $5 billion worth of health, education, research and innovation infrastructure and supports over 16,000 jobs.

The report also highlights the growing role of advanced manufacturing, particularly in aerospace, defence and modular construction.

Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space Technologies recently became the first Australian commercial company to attempt an orbital launch, while companies including Modscape and ModnPods are helping establish the Yatala-Stapylton corridor as one of Australia's fastest-growing advanced manufacturing hubs.

The city's entrepreneurial culture is also translating into business growth.

Since 2019/20, the number of businesses operating on the Gold Coast has increased by 22 per cent, while firms employing more than 200 people have grown by 80 per cent. The report suggests the next challenge is converting more local start-ups and medium-sized businesses into nationally significant companies.

Development activity remains another key indicator of confidence.

There are currently more than $23 billion worth of major projects underway across the Gold Coast, supported by a record 75 active cranes, a figure that now exceeds Brisbane and represents a 150 per cent increase since 2016.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112024 project_image_fid=343235]

Importantly, the report notes the next phase of investment will need to extend beyond residential development.

While 93 per cent of crane activity is currently tied to housing, Invest Gold Coast argues future investment will increasingly need to focus on cultural, civic, infrastructure and industry-enabling projects that strengthen the city's long-term economic resilience.

Invest Gold Coast Chair Will Hodgman said the city was now benefiting from years of economic diversification.

"What is happening on the Gold Coast is the result of the city's economic base broadening, fuelled by industries with long-term, high-growth potential," Mr Hodgman said.

"This is no longer a secondary Australian economy, the Gold Coast is becoming a globally connected city with deeper capability across health, knowledge and creative industries, advanced manufacturing, technology and exports."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365786]

Looking ahead, the Gold Coast's population is projected to exceed one million residents by 2046.

For a city that was once largely defined by tourism and lifestyle, the latest figures suggest the Gold Coast is becoming something more significant, one of Australia's most diverse and economically sophisticated urban economies, and increasingly one that national and international investors can no longer afford to overlook.

Joel Robinson

75 cranes, $23 billion pipeline and a $55 billion economy: Inside the Gold Coast economic boom

Ron Bakir's Homecorp has sold more than 75 per cent of the apartments in its wellness-driven Florence Residences in Surfers Paradise following its first weekend release.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/florence-residences-24-monte-carlo-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">26-storey project on Monte Carlo Avenue</a>, which commenced construction earlier this year, has seen a flurry of buyers secure their slice of the Gold Coast's latest wellbeing-focused offering in one of the nation's most competitive property markets.

Since the pandemic, the Gold Coast's population has grown by more than 11 per cent, a rate approximately four times faster than Sydney's, driven largely by lifestyle changes and interstate migration. While buyer activity has moderated in some markets nationally, demand for newly built dwellings on the Gold Coast continues to gain momentum as purchasers increasingly prioritise lifestyle, amenity, wellbeing, liveability and long-term investment potential.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372743]

Homecorp CEO Ron Bakir says buyers today are looking for more than just a home.

"What we are seeing is a shift in how people define value in property," Bakir says.

"What attracts residents to new developments is a desire for more than just a residence. They are looking for a place that complements their lifestyle, supports their wellbeing and reflects the way they want to live into the future.

"Lifestyle, longevity, proactive health, wellbeing, connection and a sense of community are increasingly shaping purchasing decisions, particularly on the Gold Coast, where these factors continue to be a major drawcard."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372744]

Bakir says Homecorp is responding to this shift through an approach that places greater emphasis on design, amenity and experience working together to create places that feel considered, connected and enduring in value.

Inspired by Eastern European design, Florence Residences will comprise 120 apartments alongside a private residents-only wellness club featuring a resort-style rooftop pool, hot and cold plunge pools, a spa retreat, contemporary gymnasium, and a spacious yoga and Pilates studio.

The development will also feature a residents-only lounge with private dining facilities and a rooftop bar, premium outdoor entertaining areas, a hotel-style lobby lounge, generous bike parking, and pet-friendly amenities including a heated dog wash.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372742]

A limited number of apartments remain available, with an exclusive collection of four-bedroom sub-penthouses set to be released in the coming months.

Florence is one of the latest additions to Homecorp's expanding multi-billion-dollar property portfolio, which also includes plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/homecorp-lodges-plans-for-260-million-moroccan-bathhouse-inspired-tower-in-budds-beach">$260 million development in Budds Beach</a> tailored to the growing wellness market.

A development application has been lodged for a 27-storey, 156-residence tower at 8–10 Acacia Avenue and 25–27 Oak Avenue, featuring a residents-only Moroccan spa-inspired sanctuary.

Apartments at Florence Residences are priced from $1,249,000, with construction expected to be completed by late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150414]

Buyers rush to Homecorp's Florence Residences as Gold Coast wellness trend gains momentum

The NSW Government has expanded its $1 billion Pre-sale Finance Guarantee program, broadening access for affordable housing providers and smaller residential developments as it seeks to accelerate housing delivery across the state.

The Minns Government says the program has already helped bring forward more than 600 homes across Sydney and regional NSW since launching in September 2025, with similar models now adopted in South Australia and Western Australia.

The latest changes, announced by Treasurer Daniel Mookhey and Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully, are designed to improve access to finance for projects that have planning approval but are struggling to secure funding.

Among the key changes is an expansion of support for community housing providers. The program will now support up to 100 per cent affordable housing projects valued at up to $30 million when delivered by not-for-profit providers, while support for larger affordable housing developments will increase for projects worth up to $80 million.

The government says the changes will help accelerate the delivery of housing for low-income workers, older people, people living with disability, and those at risk of homelessness, while reducing reliance on direct grants or subsidised loans to bridge funding gaps.

The eligibility criteria for smaller residential developments have also been broadened. The previous $5 million minimum project value threshold has been removed and replaced with a requirement that projects deliver at least four homes.

Support has also increased for projects delivering fewer than 20 homes, with the guarantee now able to cover up to 75 per cent of dwellings in a development, capped at $30 million per project.

The changes are expected to particularly benefit smaller-scale and regional developments, which often face greater challenges meeting pre-sale requirements imposed by lenders.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the scheme demonstrates how government can use its balance sheet to stimulate housing supply without relying solely on taxpayer-funded grants.

"The Pre-sale Finance Guarantee shows how this Government is using its balance sheet to reduce risk and unlock private investment, enabling new homes to move from design to construction faster," Mookhey said.

"This landmark reform allows us to deliver homes for working families at a lower cost to taxpayers, while also maintaining strong financial discipline."

Planning Minister Paul Scully said the program had already proven effective in bringing stalled projects to market.

"The Pre-sale Finance Guarantee has already proven it can unlock stalled projects and accelerate housing delivery by giving lenders the confidence they need to back good developments," Scully said.

"These changes will allow more affordable housing and smaller developments to access support so more homes can be built faster where communities need them most."

Housing Minister Rose Jackson said the expansion would help community housing providers overcome financing barriers that often delay projects.

"We know community housing providers are ready to build more homes, too often they're held back by barriers to finance," Jackson said.

"Expanding the Pre-sale Finance Guarantee helps remove those barriers so more affordable homes can get off the ground sooner."

The announcement was welcomed by the Property Council of Australia, which has long advocated for measures aimed at improving project feasibility and access to finance.

Property Council NSW Executive Director Katie Stevenson described the expansion as a practical intervention that addresses one of the most immediate constraints on housing delivery.

"This is exactly the kind of practical intervention we need right now, focused on getting projects out of the ground, not just approved," Stevenson said.

"It builds on a model the Property Council has worked closely with government to develop following calls for such a scheme ahead of last year's NSW Budget, so it's great to see it being expanded."

Stevenson said the reforms would help unlock projects that are ready to proceed but have been delayed by financing challenges. However, she noted that broader feasibility issues remain a significant barrier to increasing housing supply.

"The biggest challenge in NSW housing today is delivery. Too many projects have planning approval but are simply not financially viable to proceed under current settings," she said.

Speaking at the Property Council's NSW Housing Summit, Housing Minister Rose Jackson acknowledged that feasibility and financing pressures continue to constrain housing delivery, while reaffirming the government's commitment to work with industry on solutions.

Stevenson said the government's recognition of those challenges was encouraging ahead of next week's state budget.

"It's positive to see the government clearly recognising that feasibility pressures are now a binding constraint on supply," she said.

"With the Budget just days away, the focus must be on backing delivery, making sure projects stack up, finance can flow, and more homes can move from approval to construction."

The expanded Pre-sale Finance Guarantee forms part of the NSW Government's broader housing agenda, which also includes planning reforms, the NSW Housing Pattern Book, and a series of rezonings intended to increase housing capacity across the state.

NSW expands Pre-sale Finance Guarantee to unlock more affordable and regional housing

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.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372212]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372225]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146717 project_image_fid=372222]

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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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.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=353235]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6390]

“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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

Jonathan Chancellor

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