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Despite weakened ratings over the opening week, Channel 9 is happy with The Block, now in its 16th season.
It part because it is not as expensive as other shows the network puts to air.
The Block premiered last Sunday with a subdued 947,000 viewers which was the weakest debut for a series since 2015 in South Yarra. It was down on 2019 when 991,000 tuned into the Oslo. The four interim years were all over one million viewers.
The Block then had 762,000 tune in last Tuesday night which was an increase on the 738,000 the show had on Monday night.
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Last week it was revealed the Nine Network was looking to dump some of its pricey shows such as The Voice.
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With the free-to-air television market struggling, the broadcaster’s parent Nine Entertainment has been focused on costs.
On an investor call after Nine delivered full-year results on Thursday, Nine chief executive Hugh Marks singled out The Voice, featuring singers Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian and Boy George, saying it was a “$40m cost in the schedule”.
“As you go forward those shows just, you know, get a little bit more difficult to hold onto,” Marks said.
Marks later told The Australian that Nine long-running renovation competition reality show The Block is “a third of the cost per hour of something like The Voice”, yet delivered an equivalent audience.
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The Block gets endorsement from Nine Network boss Hugh Marks

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The Tuscany home of the late, famed Australian painter Jeffrey Smart, has been relisted for sale by its Australian owners, telecommunications entrepreneurs, Steven and Leanne Grives.
The 600-year-old Tuscan villa was sold five years ago following Smart's death in 2013 aged 91.
It was art dealer Philip Bacon who secured the Australian buyers of Posticcia Nuova which had been bought in the early 1970s by Smart and his partner Ermes De Zan.
Christie's International's Ken Jacobs had listed it with an A$2,658,000 asking price in 2015.
The Fonebox telecommunications entrepreneurs, Steven and Leanne Grives are now seeking €3.2 million (AU$5.29 million).
The stone farmhouse in the Chianti Hills, near the town of Greve, and about 1.5 hours from Florence, was originally part of the noble Florentine Sierristori family estate.
With the great agricultural reform ordered by Grand Duke Leopold II the land which nowadays houses the villa entered the possession of the Serristori family, owners at the time of a great villa in Figline Valdarno which was then gifted for the creation of a hospital (named Ospedale Serristori) which still remains the reference point for Valdarno.
Its old barn was turned in to a painting retreat. 
The grand estate sits in 15.7 hectares of private botanical garden surrounds, with one hectare of agricultural land. 
In the grounds is a 14 metre swimming pool, accompanied by a two-level, self-contained pool house with gym and accomodation.
The income from the olive grove, in a good harvest year, is around €10,000 (AU$16,500).
There is also a small return on eggs and vegetables.
The estimated production of a vineyard of one hectare could be around 70 hectolitres.
There is an employee at the property – as the owners do not live in Italy – working five days a week plus a couple of hours in the weekend looking after chickens. His salary is €2,300 (AU$3,800) 
At the time Smart bought the historic farmhouse there was "no lavatory and one tap", he told ABC Radio a few years before he died. "I just adore it here."
In the 43 years following that purchase Smart and his partner Ermes De Zan restored the historic farmhouse, and have run a successful olive and sheep breeding operation on the 18 hectares.
There were 1500 olive trees, and six hectares dedicated to woods, leaving the remainder to breeding pedigree Suffolk sheep.
It is only the fourth time listed in six centuries.
 
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Jeffrey Smart's Tuscany home being resold by Australian owner

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Poolman House, located in South Yarra on the corner of Domain and Punt Roads, retains its name from its roaring 20s owners.

Perhaps it was the installation of its ballroom in 1928 by the Poolman family who entertained grandly that ensured their name lives on.

Maybe it was their charitable gifting of the house in 1951.

Ofcourse the nameplate on the front garden gate assists its recognition.

Ernest Poolman was a manufacturer, who paid 14,000 pounds for the home in 1921, with wife Jeannie, having previously lived elsewhere on Domain Road.

Her name lives on in the name of the Royal Children's Hospital of Melbourne's annual $5500 Jeannie H Poolman Scholarship, awarded for the purposes of travelling to enable further post-graduate paediatric education abroad.

The Poolmans had bought it from Norman and Mary Faukiner of the pastoralist family who then moved just along Domain Road.

The Falconer's had bought it for 16,200 pounds three years earlier from Collins Street surgeon Dr John Dunbar Hooper who took the house name, Bathwick to his next home in Albany Road Toorak. His father Sir William Roe Hooper had been the honorary surgeon King Edward.

Jeannie Poolman, who eventually downsized to the 1920s apartment complex, Amesbury House just a few doors away, donated the use of house to the Red Cross in 1941 during World War 11 and then in 1951 it was gifted to the Church of England became a nursing home for three decades. Her estate on her 1960 death was 464,000 pounds.

The church sold in 1987 for $875,000 to the international interior designer John Coote and his wife Andrea.

Their renovation saw it sold in August 1989 for $3.5 million to the car dealer Noel Gould and his wife, Marlene who in 1992 filed statements revealing total debts of $17 million when they proposed their affairs be dealt with under Part X of the Bankruptcy Act.

The Goulds, who were social page regulars with a passion for racehorses, disclosed assets made up of just $95 in a Westpac account and $35,000 in furniture at Poolman House.

The house sold after its unsuccessful 1992 auction for $1.675 million to Martyn Riley and wife, Mary.

It was last sold 20 years ago when the grand Victorian style home was secured for $2.7 million by the property tycoon, and former Richmond Football Club director, John Matthies.

The mansion with a large garden sits on 2750 sqm, the largest of holdings in the Domain precinct. There is a larger South Yarra holding in the Avoca House, Alexandra Avenue precinct which last sold in 1996 at $1.96 million. The property is owned by the Myer family.

The landmark Poolman House has had a rich history, its RT Edgar agent Antoinette Nido says.

"The late John Coote impeccably renovated the home’s classical features to align with modern-day living.

"The current owners of twenty years have updated and refurbished the mansion maintaining the John Coote classical style," she advised.

She suggests its imposing verandah was reminiscent of the Melbourne Club. The ballroom has stage and ceiling frescos painted by Nobby Seymour.

The six bedroom, five bathroom house with Paul Bangay gardens and tennis court comes with a $20 million to $22 million price guide.

"With its inspiring archive of grand events, flawless preservation and rare land holding, and location in the prized and tightly held Domain precinct in South Yarra, Poolman House is a once-in-a-lifetime property ready for a new era," Nido said. 

The first residence on the site was built in the early 1860s by woolworker Richard Goldsborough who didn't stay long before moving to Abbotsford where he warehouse business was located.

It was then occupied by John Buckley from the rural firm Dalgety &amp; Co. Then other families including the Brodribb, McKinley and Borron clans have occupied the home, along with George Grantham.

The home was known in colonial times as Glenronald. Sadly the online Victorian Heritage Council database is wanting, with no details at all.

This article was first published in the Weekend Australian.

 

Other projects near South Yarra:

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Poolman House, South Yarra retains its name from its roaring 20s owners

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The Macquarie Group veteran Greg Ward is back in the wine game. He's recently spent $8.4 million to buy the 5th Chapter Estate in the Southern Highlands.
The 40 hectare Avoca country estate had been in the hands of the Manasseh foods for two or so decades.
The brothers Roy and Michael paid $2.5 million in 1998 and planted the vines a year later. There are four hectares of vines with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir plantings.
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Aside from the winery and cellar door, there's a grand manor-like home with nine bedrooms and eight bathrooms in the Japanese gardens.
Ward, also a part-time motorhead, has been at Macquarie since 1996. 
He became head of banking and financial services group in 2013 and has driven the growth of Macquarie’s retail financial services business. 
Wine has been off Macquarie's group head of banking and financial services menu since 2010 when he sold Echo Ridge, up in the Hunter Valley's Pokolbin, for $2.2 million to Sydney fundie Michael Hill.
Meanwhile sone of Australia's biggest winemakers have agreed to change their supply agreements with grape growers, after Rod Sims ACCC raised concerns that the contracts contained terms which were likely to be unfair.
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Macquarie director buys $8.2 million Avoca vineyard

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James Kennedy, the chairman of the retailer Kennedy Luxury Group, has been able to secure the $4.5 million East Melbourne apartment he and his wife, Jaimee Belle Kennedy, have occupied for the past two years.

It was only after he'd lodged two caveats on the title of the plush 150 Clarendon Street apartment claiming there was a January 2018 purchasers' contract.

It had last traded when bought by Richard Gu's AXF Group in 2011 for $4 million.

The home, located at 505/150 Clarendon Street, was tied up in the AXF Group liquidation saga as the property was an asset of Gu’s trust.

As a result, Kirsch Sutherland's Malcolm Howell, who recently lost his job as liquidator of the broker, was appointed receiver to complete the sale to the Kennedy’s.

Kennedy had to undertake action in the Supreme Court against Gu and Howell to finalise the purchase of the Clarendon Street home.

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The luxurious two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment offered expansive views over the Fitzroy Gardens and beyond.

Its features included a European kitchen, dignified living and a large terrace.

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The Kennedy's had spent some $400,000 on renovations whilst occupying the home since their 2018 wedding.

Featured in Vogue, the wedding took place in Florence and showed off Jaimee’s three-day Italian wedding set and her Ralph &amp; Russo gown.

Jaimee, who has been consistently referred to as one of Australia’s most stylish women, works as creative director for her husband’s jewellery business.

<h2>VIC properties selling now:</h2>

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James Kennedy secures Clarendon Street, East Melbourne apartment

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Hambledon Park, the North Richmond farm, has been sold for $60 million. The 253ha property, 70km north of Sydney, has been bought by Fairway Thoroughbreds businessman John Camilleri, the breeder of Winx.
His acquisition wasn’t equine driven nor for Camilleri’s Baiada Poultry enterprise, which controls the Steggles and Lilydale brands.
Instead it is a long-term residential subdivision opp­ortunity. There is approval for a small rural subdivision of 25 lots, which dates back to 2008. 
But the demand for smaller housing lots in the Hawkesbury municipality has rocketed over the subsequent dozen years.
“Hambledon Park will one day be a new suburb of Sydney,” Cushman &amp; Wakefield selling agent Anthony Bray said.
Any eventual residential development market will follow the nearby successful housing estates including The Ponds, Elara, and The Hills Carmel.
Hambledon Park, the North Richmond dairy farm, initially hit the market with expectations of $120 million to $140 million, but the lack of developer interest saw the price expectations dampened.
The Camilleri family’s Celestino Developments recently sold Stockland, the unbuilt two-thirds of its 293ha masterplanned site, The Gables at Box Hill with the listed developer paying $415 million over seven years.
Bray had expected to see stronger interest from developers, the tertiary education and agricultural industries for Hambledon Park, but the absence of Chinese buyers from the buying mix meant it sold for under its $120 million expectations of two years ago.
The property was a 1200-cow dairy farm at its peak after being purchased in 1974 by the Peel family who were a major dairy supplier into Sydney.
More recently it has been a feed lot, along with operating a breeding herd of about 300 black angus cows.
 
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Hambledon Park, North Richmond farm sold

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In a property market as diverse as Sydney, $700,000 is going to buy you very little in some parts while in others locations it can still mean a good quality home or investment.

There was "a rich and varied tapestry of property options" available across the city, especially in Sydney's West, according to the latest report of the Herron Todd White valuation firm.

The sub-$700,000 price point still provides attractive offerings within Western Sydney to its key buyers, being first home buyers, investors and those looking to upgrade their existing residence.

Established areas in Western Sydney can provide two to three-bedroom units and in some cases townhouses.

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In Parramatta, with its wider supply of units, the $700,000 mark allows for a near new two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit.

An example of this is a 2019 Hassall Street unit which sold in February for $690,000, having previously sold off the plan in 2016 for $759,000.

In Blacktown, you would only need $650,000 for a three-bedroom strata townhouse as shown by a Kent Street sale in April for $640,000.

House dwellings can be found for with older style homes on a decent sized block of land in order to add value.

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There was a Killarney Avenue, Blacktown, a mostly original, three-bedroom, one-bathroom home with 601 square metres of land that sold for $670,000 in April.

It provides ample opportunity for value adding.

HWT noted for a good investment, a house and granny at in St Marys would provide a higher cash flow in the short term and potential for longer term capital growth.

It noted St Marys is set to be connected to the Western Sydney Aerotropolis at Badgerys Creek. A house and granny on Marsden Road, St Marys, which sold for $699,900 in April, has a potential rental income of $740 per week and yield of 5.5 per cent.

House and land packages are also an option in newer estates such as Marsden Park, Box Hill and Jordan Springs, but buyers will have to compromise on size to put together a package with land of between 250 and 350 square metres.

An example of this is the current listing on Annan Avenue, Marsden Park, a four-bedroom, two-bathroom Metricon-built dwelling with a garage, on a 312 square metre block available for $699,546.

In South Western Sydney for under $700,000, the Liverpool LGA still provides opportunities.

The Liverpool CBD unit market has struggled over the past 18 months, HTW noted, with signs of doom and gloom.

"We consider that the amount of supply entering the market and the lack of business growth within the CBD has contributed to values remaining steady or even decreasing," their report noted.

An example was a 2004 built three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit on Castlereigh Street that sold in May 2015 for $520,000 and resold in May for $510,000.

These price levels allow first home owners to enter the market in a central location close to shops, schools and train lines.

"Compared to the Parramatta CBD, it offers very affordable living," HTW advised for Liverpool, which is seen as Sydney’s third city.

The development of the Western Sydney Airport and the rezoning of 25 hectares of land in the heart of Liverpool "will reinvigorate life and promote more commercial space."

The ultimate aim is to remove the need for workers to travel to the traditional Parramatta and city hubs.

"This may be just what Liverpool needs to breathe life back into the Liverpool unit market in years to come," HTW forecast.

Within the Liverpool LGA, the house market under the $700,000 mark is constantly decreasing in opportunity, however suburbs such as Busby, Cartwright and Ashcroft provide "a great hidden opportunity."

This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph.
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What can $700,000 buy you in Western Sydney?

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There has been a $900,000 loss taken on a non-harbourfront Vaucluse listing.
The knockdown home on the high side of prestigious Carrara Rd fetched $10.9 million midweek via private treaty, having sold a year ago at $11.8 million to the Grunberg family from North Bondi.
The single level home, on its 728sqm cul-de-sac block, had ­previously been the abode of ­Michael Caredes and his wife Fylia for 44 years.
The resale price, after 50 days on the market, reflects a 7.5 per cent price drop, at the lower end of the worse case COVID-19 price collapse forecasts. The $900,000 decline comes after its $765,000 stamp duty purchase outlay, plus its 8.25 per cent mortgage rate.
Laing and Simmons agent D’Leanne Lewis handled both sales.
The property, which has views of the Harbour Bridge across the 1930s hospital dormitory building on the Strickland House estate, comes with a 1950s height covenant from a neighbouring Vaucluse Rd home.
Up the other end of Carrara, another non-waterfront sale has been done at $7.5 million, less than the $10.85 million sought on its initial 2018 listing. The house is set on 600 sqm above the Hermitage estate.
This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph. 
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Vaucluse home sells for $900k loss

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Commentary on the future direction of the residential property sector has been diverse.
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.
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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.
It adds its can be difficult to keep up as markets adapt to the challenges around COVID-19.
"Some locations have seen monumental disturbance to their usual state of affairs, while others have barely registered a ripple.
"COVID-19 has amplified the diversity of Australia’s resident property markets by location, price point and property type," he added.
Well informed valuers, like well informed estate agents, are well informed on sales activity and price direction.
Brinkworth acknowledged Herron Todd White in Sydney made the decision in early March that all staff would work from home.
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.
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.
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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.
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This has allowed mortgage applications to proceed instead of being delayed by weeks or even months until internal access became available.
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.
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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.
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."
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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.
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It also noted properties falling in the Airbnb sector are being impacted, for obvious reasons. 
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HTW have been still seeing reasonably strong activity in the west, particularly at the entry level.
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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.
Overall HTW conclude the long term outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic for the property market is uncertain.
The Sydney property market is resilient, as seen by the recovery from the 2017 to 2019 downturn. 
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However, HTW anticipate a slower return to normal, depending on just where unemployment numbers end up and the extent of a decrease in short term immigration numbers.
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Sydney residential market is resilient, but expect a slower return to normal after COVID-19

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The Federal Government’s $25,000 Homebuilder package for the housing sector will help promote jobs and activity as New South Wales recovers from the economic effects of COVID-19.
That is important as construction is a key pillar of the economy – generating 7.5 percent of the nation’s growth as Australia’s third-biggest employer, after retail and health care and social assistance.
The $688 million package hopes to pull forward activity to avert the jobs cliff that could arise as exisiting projects finish in the second half of 2020 and early 2021.
The industry was not shutdown unlike other industries. But the package is aimed at forward work pipelines, with the time frame requiring quicker state government and council approvals, before any impact on the actual property market and prices and rents.
The program aims to provide 27,000 grants by December this year. It is for owner-occupiers, especially cashed up first home buyers, but not investors.
The means-tested grants will be restricted to large renovations and the construction of new homes as the project cost must be at least $150,000.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the scheme would drive a "tradie-led recovery" of the economy, and would support 140,000 direct construction jobs and a million workers in the wider residential building sector.
"The industry is facing a valley of death," the Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn warned.
The scheme will last until the end of the year, aiming to get 30,000 homes underway by Christmas.
Construction must commence within three months of the contract date.
Those eligible are singles who earned up to $125,000 the 2018-2019 tax year and couples who earned up to $200,000.
The scheme will work alongside existing state and territory first-home owner grants programs, stamp duty concessions and other grant schemes, including the federal government’s popular first-home loan deposit scheme and first-home super saver scheme.
The desired economic recovery will be swifter for having a housing that is robust, but there will be many would-be home owners who can't, won't or shouldn't participate.
It comes up against the backdrop that typically less than 20 percent of first-home buyers prefer to buy newly-constructed homes.
There are price thresholds that apply to the Homebuilder package, especially in Sydney which will be restrictive in most suburbs.
If you are building a new home the total value of the completed house and land needs to be less than $750,000.
Or if substantially renovating your existing home the value of your existing property does not exceed $1.5 million.
The package will primarily have an effect in the outer suburbs and its greenfield housing markets. Mostly people some way down the track to either buying or building will likely get to participate.
The scheme also covers buying units off the plan that are construction ready.
Architect academic Geoff Hanmer says no doubt the scheme's structure will encourage people to build in coffee makers, microwaves, fridges and washing machines to bump the contract price up above the $150,000 minimum.
Beware too that there are unscrupulous builders who may take advantage of the scheme, warns the NSW builder broker, Builder Finders' Lynette Manciameli, is concerned that the scheme is vulnerable to exploitation.
“What we are likely to see off the back of the HomeBuilder scheme is dodgy builders coming out of the woodwork." Mrs Manciameli suggests.
Adding it is more important than ever for consumers to do their due diligence when selecting a builder for their project including seeking out testimonials and checking credit scores.
This article was first published in The Daily Telegraph
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HomeBuilder scheme will drive a tradie-led recovery

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.

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;

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;

“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;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

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;

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;

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.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

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;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

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.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“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;

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

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;

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;

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”.

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;

Joel Robinson

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

<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.

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.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“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.”

<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" />

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.

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.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“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.”

<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" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“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.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“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.”

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.

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.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

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.

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.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“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.”

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.

“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.”

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.

“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.”

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.

“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.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“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.

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.

&nbsp;

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

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.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

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.

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.

“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.

“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.”

<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" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“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.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<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" />

&nbsp;

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.

Green praised local policy settings.

“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.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

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

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.

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.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"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.

"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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

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.

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.

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

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.

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

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.

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.

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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

Jonathan Chancellor

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