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Adelaide’s residential property market is in a slightly better position than it was 12 months ago, according to Herron Todd White.
" It is fair to say that it is no longer the buyers' market that it once was," the latest report by the valuation firm advised.
 The number of days on the market has reduced, vendor discounting has tightened, sales transactions have increased and in that time there has been around a 3% improvement in median price.
Investment activity appears to have increased in the past 12 months or so as investors try to capitalise on the current market conditions that see vacancy rates remaining low, rental rates steady, and low interest rates persisting. 
"With the property market in Adelaide having reached the bottom of the cycle investors are now more confident that property will start to see some improvement in capital growth in the medium to long-term," the report said.
With only a slight annual increase to Adelaide's median price, the report suggested $500,000 would still buy much the same as it would have last year.
It noted $500,000 can currently buy in the inner suburbs, less than seven kilometres from the CBD, including Norwood, Parkside, Unley and Prospect, but "more and more difficult" in older established suburbs located close to popular shopping strips and centres, and dining and café precincts. 
"Proximity and access to the city is probably the biggest selling point for these areas."
Property within these suburbs that have a price tag of less than $500,000, can secure an older style two bedroom unit or attached cottage/maisonette on a small allotment.
"Tenant demand within these suburbs remains high, with very low vacancy rates as a result.
"Tenant demand should also maintain current rental rates with the potential for slight increases over time. 
The current rental rate is around $350 to $500 which would roughly equate to a gross yield of 3.5% to 5%. 
"Properties within these locations are also expected to experience solid capital growth in the long term with property investment in these suburbs somewhat akin to blue chip shares," the report said. 
Within the next zone of 7 to 25 kilometres from the city $500,000 will purchase an older three bedroom house on a large allotment (500 to 900 square metres) or a newer three bedroom house on a smaller allotment (200 to 500 square metres). 
"The older dwellings on large allotments have the possibility of renovation, extension or even sub division in the future to increase capital worth. "The prospects for solid long term growth are good. 
"Yields in this area vary and would expect the average yield to be in the order of 4% to 5%."
Suburbs greater than 25 kilometres from the CBD considered to be the outer suburbs, include to the north, Elizabeth and Davoren Park where it is possible to purchase a basic two to three bedroom dwelling of 100 square metres on an allotment of 400 to 800 square metres for $130,000 to $200,000. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Adelaide no longer the buyers' market that it was: HTW

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A weekend Artarmon auction offering has sold for a record $2.82 million. 
The four-bedroom house at 12 Harden Road was offered for the first time in 99 years selling <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-artarmon-117219459" target="_blank">through agent Danny Grant, of Ray White Lower North Shore.</a>
Some 27 contracts were issued with six registered bidders who'd been given a price guide of around $2.5 million.
It sold to a local family with four children who lived in the next block, the local News Ltd paper reported.
{qtube vid:=eIpYzLHfOio}
The Federation home on sandstone foundations had been in the same family since 1915 with the current vendor's aunt, school teacher Elsie Greig residing in the house through her entire life.
The aunt’s parents bought it as newlyweds after Bonnor Court was constructed amid orchards.
The 1,400 square metre holding came with tennis court, reportedly one of only two courts remaining in Artarmon.
The median house price in Artarmon is at around record $1.7 million levels, <a href="/news">according to RP Data</a>.
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Stayput aunt's Artarmon Federation fetches record price after 99-year ownership

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Reserve Bank of Australia research has suggested that house prices would have to continue to rise at the same rate as over the last six decades for property owners to be as well off financially as renters.
Home ownership is more attractive the longer a house is owned, because transactions costs are amortised over a longer period, it concluded.
Assuming real house prices increased at the historical 2.4%, after inflation, buying beats renting when the owner held for more than eight years.
But with the 1.7% rate, after inflation, experienced over just the past 10 years, owning only beat renting over an ownership period longer than 30 years.
“Consistent with conventional wisdom, households expecting to move again in a few years’ time are better off renting, unless they believe they can sell the property for an unusually large capital gain,” the 45 page research paper said.
"We find that if real house prices grow at their historical average pace, then owning a home is about as expensive as renting.
"If prices grow more slowly, as some forecasters predict, the framework used in this paper suggests that the average home buyer would be financially better off renting.
"We decompose house prices into contributions from rents, interest rates and expected capital gains, which may help policy makers in the detection of housing bubbles.
"Recent data do not show signs of a bubble," the RBA researchers Ryan Fox and Peter Tulip suggested.
Given that individual circumstances vary, the paper noted that no-one should base personal investment decisions solely on the estimates. 
The key limitation within the paper, the RBA noted was that it focused on owner-occupied purchases, as investors in housing may be better off because of tax reasons.
The RBA also noted non-financial benefits such as security of tenure, pride of ownership and freedom to renovate.
Real house prices have increased at an average annual rate of slightly less than 21⁄2 per cent since 1955.
"If this rate of appreciation is expected to continue then our estimates suggest that houses are fairly valued.
"Forecasting house price growth is subject to considerable uncertainty.
"That said, many observers have suggested that future house price growth is likely to be somewhat less than this historic average.
"In that case, at current prices, rents, interest rates and so on, the average household is probably financially better off renting than buying."
It noted overfall prices were overvalued in the early 2000s, becoming undervalued in the second half of the decade, then switching back to overvalued following the global financial crisis. 
The discussion paper series is intended to make the results of the current economic research within the Reserve Bank available to other economists. Its aim is to present preliminary results of research so as to encourage discussion and comment. 
The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Reserve Bank. 
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No property bubble, but RBA pinpoints the possible future wisdom in renting

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ANZ Bank has listed the 12,000-hectare farming aggregation in the Condamine owned by Rowell Walton, who chaired Rural Finance Roundtable. 
The CBRE sales campaign for the <a href="https://cbre.realcommercial.com.au/property-commercial+farming-qld-condamine-501205159" target="_blank">Condamine aggregation in the Western Downs</a> area is likely to attract offers of about $15 million when it concludes later this month.
It was in April, when the empire of one of Australia’s largest grain-growers and influential farm leaders, collapsed with debts of more than $30 million on his five Queensland cropping properties.
The ANZ Bank sent in the financial receivers KordaMentha to their 2400 hectare home, ­Yullabilla station and adjoining Mt Pleasant, Wyola and Undulla stations near Tara.
At the time The Australian reported Mr Walton said he had probably borrowed too much for expansion in the three years between 2006 and 2009.
His farms were then worth $27 million with land values rising and the major banks, prior the global financial crisis, were lending freely.
Floods hit Mr Walton’s properties in 2010-11, wiping out crops worth more than $7.5 million a year.
His properties subsequently suffered two years of drought.
Walton was active in Katter's Australian Party and before than in the Queensland Nationals.
Offers are due by 25 July.
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Rowell Walton's Condamine aggregation farm offering

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<div id="storycontent">
Governments and regulators need to keep their noses out of the future of the sugar industry, the newly elected NSW Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm claims.
<div class="pb12">
<div id="storycontent">
The sugar industry was notorious for attaching itself to the public teat, said David Leyonhjelm, who has worked in agribusiness for over three decades. 
His commentary came as a controversy erupted over the decision by the sugar processing company Wilmar to sell all its sugar direct to international customers rather than via the grower-owned marketing organisation, Queensland Sugar Limited (QSL), beginning in 2017. 
It has prompted another processor, Thai-owned MSF Sugar, to suggest it may follow suit. 
"True to form, there are numerous calls for regulators and governments to intervene," <a href="https://www.theland.com.au/blogs/agribuzz-with-david-leyonhjelm/agrarian-socialisms-sticky-end/2704390.aspx?storypage=0" target="_blank">David Leyonhjelm wrote in an editorial piece on The Land</a>. 
"A horde of politicians, including the Queensland Minister for Agriculture, is taking a close interest."
Wilmar is a Singapore-based agribusiness firm now among the top ten global raw sugar producers as well as the largest raw sugar producer and refiner.
"Fear of foreigners, particularly big multinationals, is never far from the surface in rural Australia. 
"In conjunction with the ever present assumption that everyone is out to rip farmers off, it is a formula for conspiracy theories and high anxiety.
"Such concerns are being stoked by QSL, which is probably fighting for its very existence, with its arguments stoking lingering agrarian socialist sentiments surrounding the fate of profits.
"In the end, this is a matter for the market to sort out.
"If Wilmar turns out to offer inferior service or prices to QSL, the market will deal with it by attracting new competitors.
"If growers think they need greater control over their marketing, they will either compel Wilmar to cooperate or find a way to avoid using it.
"If it turns out Wilmar is pointing the way of the future, QSL will be gone within five years and the industry will have finally restructured.
"Whatever the outcome, governments and regulators need to keep their noses out of it," he said.
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David Leyonhjelm says government should steer clear of sugar industry regulation

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The Wategos Beach beachfront house of the late Sir Leslie Froggatt and Lady Elizabeth Froggatt has finally been sold.
The British-born Froggatt bought the dress circle property (centre above) on the fringe of Byron Bay for $66,500 back in 1970, the year after he became chief executive of Shell Australia.
The<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://m.domain.com.au/listing/2010759709" target="_blank"> 720 square Marine Parade property</a> sold recently for $3,735,000 through Ed Silk at <a href="https://www.edsilkbyronbay.com.au/sale/house-for-sale-wategos-byron-bay/" target="_blank">Ed Silk Byron Bay</a>, inconjuction with Martin Schiller, of Savills to the Melbourne lawyer Scott Stewart, a partner at Moray and Agnew.
It was initially listed in late 2007 when the Melbourne-based businessman, a former chairman of Ashton Mining, Pacific Dunlop and the Shell Company of Australia, had $8 million expectations. After his 2010 death, it was relisted last year with $4.5 million hopes.
The house was renovated with a dated Christine Vadez design almost three decades ago.
The sale reflected $5,180 per square metre land value, with minor access issues. 
Properties on either side have sold over the past five years at $12,600 and $13,700 a square metre.
The strip's record $15.68 million sale in 2006 was at $11,000 a square metre.
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Tide still receding at Wategos Beach, Byron Bay 

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Craigieburn was the outer Melbourne suburb with the most auctions in the first six months of this year.
There were 107 auction offerings with a subsequent 71% success rate under the hammer, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.
"It did not even make it into the top 10 last year," the REIV chief Enzo Raimondo said.
Craigieburn is 26 kms north of Melbourne's central business district, in the local government area of the City of Hume.
There were three on the weekend, with two passed in, with a $380,000 pre-auction sale of 6 Tusmore Rise (pictured above). 
TOP 10 HIGHEST NUMBER OF AUCTIONS MELBOURNE OUTER SUBURBS – FIRST HALF 2014
<table style="width: 460px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap>
Suburb
</td>
<td nowrap>
Total Auction
</td>
<td nowrap>
Sold at auction
</td>
<td nowrap>
Clearance rate
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap>
<a href="/news">CRAIGIEBURN</a>
</td>
<td nowrap>
107
</td>
<td nowrap>
76
</td>
<td nowrap>
71%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap>
<a href="/news">WHEELERS HILL</a>
</td>
<td nowrap>
95
</td>
<td nowrap>
70
</td>
<td nowrap>
74%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap>
<a href="/news">PARKDALE</a>
</td>
<td nowrap>
91
</td>
<td nowrap>
69
</td>
<td nowrap>
76%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap>
<a href="/news">RINGWOOD</a>
</td>
<td nowrap>
80
</td>
<td nowrap>
66
</td>
<td nowrap>
83%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap>
<a href="/news">MORNINGTON</a>
</td>
<td nowrap>
71
</td>
<td nowrap>
40
</td>
<td nowrap>
56%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap>
<a href="/news">NOBLE PARK</a>
</td>
<td nowrap>
71
</td>
<td nowrap>
45
</td>
<td nowrap>
63%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap>
<a href="/news">RYE</a>
</td>
<td nowrap>
68
</td>
<td nowrap>
35
</td>
<td nowrap>
52%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap>
<a href="/news">MULGRAVE</a>
</td>
<td nowrap>
67
</td>
<td nowrap>
56
</td>
<td nowrap>
84%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap>
<a href="/news">ROSEBUD</a>
</td>
<td nowrap>
67
</td>
<td nowrap>
36
</td>
<td nowrap>
54%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap>
<a href="/news">KEYSBOROUGH</a>
</td>
<td nowrap>
62
</td>
<td nowrap>
35
</td>
<td nowrap>
57%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source REIV
Recent results at Craigieburn included:
<img src="/images/2014/07/14/jc-july-14-one.jpg" alt="">
The REIV is expected about 540 auctions across 226 Melbourne suburbs this weekend.
There was a 74% success rate based on initial returns, up compared to 71% last weekend and 73% this weekend last year. 
"Aside from the clearance rate, the strength of demand from buyers can also be gauged from the share of homes sold before auction," REIV chief Enzo Raimondo said.
"In the year to date, about 14% of homes scheduled for auction have been sold before, which is the highest level since 2010.
"In some suburbs, such as <a href="/news">Wantirna</a>, nearly half of all homes scheduled for auction were sold beforehand," he said.
The top weekend auction locations were <a href="/news">Richmond</a> (9 auctions), <a href="/news">South Yarra</a> (9 auctions), <a href="/news">Mount Waverley</a> (8 auctions), <a href="/news">Doncaster </a>(8 auctions) and <a href="/news">Cheltenham </a>(8 auctions).
The clearance rate has been above 70% for the past four weeks, which is higher than the 10-year average of 69% for this time of year. 
Based on forward estimates, about 2,300 auctions are expected to be held in July which is higher than the decade average as auctions continue to be popular.
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Coming in from the outer, Craigieburn gets cracking with auctions

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A Canterbury trophy home has been sold for $6.66 million, having been listed in late May through hockingstuart.
<a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/mont-albert-road-canterbury/Property-Details-sold-residential-7182521" target="_blank">The Mont Albert Road property</a> last traded at $5.5 million in 2011.
It's a grand double-storey 2005-built house (pictured above) with 496 square metre internal space plus pool and tennis court on its 2,050 square metre block.
It was sold by Chinese vendors, Cai Huishuang. 
Sales this year include Silchester, at 106 Mont Albert Road, Canterbury, listed with $6 million plus hopes and passed in at $6.02 million at auction.
The double-storey 1920s house with pool and tennis court on its 2,161 square metre corner block, and even a croquet lawn, has been since sold at $6,475,000.
I recall it last traded to the current vendors in 1993 when sold at around $1.5 million by Brian Blythe from Spotless.
Another recent sale was <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/67-mont-albert-road-canterbury/Property-Details-buy-residential-6606521" target="_blank">67 Mont Albert Road </a>(pictured below) where a 1925 brick house fetched $2,625,000 through Box Hill agents Winny Ni and Bruce Li to Chinese buyers. It was among the 2007 sales at around $2.4 million. 
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/03/04/can4]}
Syme Manor, the Edwardian style Canterbury home (pictured below), was sold recently at $4.8 million to the Zhou family. It last traded at $4.8 million in 2008. 
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/03/04/can3]}
There's a contemporary family entertainer update to the established 1920s home set on a 1746 square metre block with tennis court, pool and sauna. The Mont Albert Road property was first listed in spring 2013 with $5.35 million price guidance.
The so-called golden mile of Canterbury produced mixed results last year when I wrote the street's highest sale was the Sisters of Mercy development site which fetched $8.78 million in September.
The highest house sale was $7.5 million for the Schwal family's 2800 square metre property at 129 Mont Albert Road. It sold through Kay &amp; Burton's Michael Armstrong, settling late last year after selling around April to Chinese/Australian buyers. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30VmFO2mZhs" target="_blank">It had been initially listed in spring 2012 with video marketing</a> (below).
{qtube vid:=30VmFO2mZhs}
Agents tell Property Observer that half of Mont Albert Road's 10 sales during 2013 were to Chinese/Australian buyers.
There was a $5.9 million sale last year at 168 Mont Albert on the road of an eight year old Dordonge-style home with trimmed Manchurian pear trees lining its driveway.
It was bought by Chinese/Australian buyers who have been especially evident on the golden mile since 2007, often then making their purchases available as rentals.
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Mont Albert Road, Canterbury trophy home sells for $6.66 million

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The Bencluna homestead on 2.42 hectares in the Byron Bay hinterland has been sold for $815,000.
The historic property last traded in 2007 at $654,000 when bought by the Tyrer-Goring family.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-eureka-117152999" target="_blank">Tim Miller of McGrath Byron Bay had been expecting more than $700,000</a>, securing the sale in the lead up to the weekend auction.
The restored and improved house comes with pressed-metal ceilings.
There is a study, attic bedrooms and a terrace overlooking the garden.
Eureka is about half an hour from the coast at Byron Bay.
Andrew Johnstone was the original owner of Bencluna.
Meanwhile the former home of Pete Murray, the singer-songwriter, has yet to sell the 1907 Eureka property, Carawatha (pictured below), <a href="https://uniqueestates.com.au/buy-residential-real-estate/house-eureka-nsw-13058110215" target="_blank">still on the market with a price guide of $1.65 million through Nicolette van Wijngaarden of Unique Estates.</a>
<img src="/images/2014/07/14/eureka%20july%2014%20two.jpg" alt="">
His former partner, Amanda Coutts, a shoe designer, bought the property in 2004 for $1.1 million.
The study in the five-bedroom property featured on the cover of Murray's 2008 album, Summer in Eureka. There is also a recording studio, which is used as an artist's workshop. 
It has been for sale since mid-2012, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2013/02/26/farmhouse-to-studio-in-australia/tab/slideshow/#slide/1" target="_blank">receiving a Wall Street Journal editorial in early 2013</a>.
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Bencluna, the 1890s Eureka, Byron hinterland farmhouse, sells

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Pricey Point Piper topped weekend auctions results.
The $3.9 million sale occurred shortly after the one level home with south east views over Rose Bay had been passed in at its onsite auction.
The top bid was $3.85 million after bidding was kicked off by the McGrath auctioneer Scott Kennedy-Green with a $3.6 million vendor bid.
There were repeated $50,000 bids from two of what appeared to be three registered bidders when the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-point-piper-nsw-2027/209010" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Dunara Gardens</a> property went to onsite auction through McGrath agent Peter Starr.
It last sold in 2006 at $2.3 million, with 11 Dunara Gardens becoming available for lease in early 2012 at $2,550 a week.
Sydney’s home auction market bounced back at the weekend, recording its best result since May with an initial 77.7% success rate, contrasting last weekend’s 72.7% rate, which was then revised down to 69%, the lowest recorded for over a year.
With dark lacquered timber work throughout, the Point Piper top selling home of interior designer Rosie Fetzer-Hogg sits on a cul-de-sac with height covenants aplenty. It sits off Wentworth Street.
The 740 square metre property attracted no purchasing desire from the neighbours, who bought the original mansion of the estate, Dunara for $1.74 million in 1991.
Dunara, now on its 770 square metres, is credited as the oldest house on Point Piper dating back to 1882, with seven marble fireplaces a selling point when it last sold.
It was the birthplace of the poet and author Dorothea MacKellar, built by her father, Sir Charles MacKellar, a distinguished physician and Member of the Legislative Council and later a senator.
Her mother was the daughter of the wealthy merchant, pastoralist and banker, Thomas Buckland.
In 1919 the family moved to Earlston, in Warrawee and in 1925 to Rosemont, Woollahra, which was sold to the Lloyd Jones family after Lady Mackellar's death in 1933. Sir Charles had died in 1926.
The MacKellar family sold Dunara to Sir Norman Kater in 1919. It was used by the RAAF as a WAAF Officers' mess during World War II. 
The house is a two-storeyed stuccoed brick with a fine cast-iron balcony. It originally had stables and a servants' wing which was separated and converted into other dwellings.
Saturday's offering had been initially listed in late 2011 with $4 million hopes, remaining for private treaty until early 2013.
 
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Dunara Gardens, Point Piper auction tops weekend sales

Kew has long been regarded as one of Melbourne's premier residential suburbs. It's a location defined by its grand period homes, leafy streets and some of the city's most prestigious schools, yet it has often sat just outside the spotlight cast on neighbouring Hawthorn and Camberwell.

Increasingly, however, buyers are recognising that Kew offers much of what draws people to those suburbs, with a quieter residential setting, exceptional amenity and long-term owner-occupier appeal.

Within a few minutes' walk, residents can access Kew Junction, one of Melbourne's most established village centres. Cafés, bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets, boutique retailers and everyday services are all on the doorstep, with local favourites including Centonove, Adeney Milk Bar Cafe, and Frank &amp; Harri creating the type of walkable lifestyle that has become increasingly difficult to find in Melbourne's inner east. Beyond the immediate neighbourhood, Glenferrie Road's renowned shopping and dining precinct in Hawthorn and the retail, dining and entertainment offerings of Camberwell Junction are both just a short drive or tram ride away.

The suburb is equally well connected. Tram routes 48 and 109 provide direct access to the CBD, while High Street and Cotham Road connect residents to the wider inner east.&nbsp;Nearby access to the Eastern Freeway also places the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne Airport within easy reach, adding another layer of convenience for weekend travel.&nbsp;It's a rare combination of connectivity and tranquillity, where quiet residential streets sit just moments from some of Melbourne's most established shopping and lifestyle precincts.

For families, Kew remains one of Melbourne's most tightly held addresses. Carey Baptist Grammar School, Xavier College, Methodist Ladies' College, Trinity Grammar, Ruyton Girls' School and Genazzano FCJ College are all nearby, while the Yarra River parklands, walking trails and sporting clubs provide another layer of lifestyle appeal.

It's within this established pocket that developer Ricdanic is delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/wimba-ave-kew-9-11-wimba-avenue-kew-vic-3101">Wimba Ave</a>, a boutique collection of just 13 residences across two buildings named after its location on the tree-lined Wimba Avenue,&nbsp;within one of Kew's most prestigious pockets where homes have been known to sell up to and above $8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=354809]

The residences prioritise the space that buyers are increasingly searching for but struggling to find in established suburbs. Living areas extend beyond five metres in width, ceiling heights range from three to five metres, and apartments open onto private gardens averaging around 125 sqm. Selected residences also feature balconies of approximately 60 sqm, while premium inclusions include Miele appliances, double-glazed windows, EV readiness, fully electric systems and a 7.2 NatHERS energy rating.

Architect Chris Idle says opportunities to deliver homes of this scale within established suburbs have become increasingly uncommon.

"There are very few opportunities to do these kinds of developments in leafy, established suburbs," he says. "To get this level of amenity, natural light, and architectural freedom in such a setting is extremely rare."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=366267]

The architecture draws on Kew's established character through the use of handmade Krause bricks, while landscaping by John Patrick introduces 23 plant species, including nine native varieties, creating an environment which focuses just as much on nature as it does the building.

Construction on Wimba Ave is well underway by renowned high-end builder Sinjen, with completion expected in late 2027. Prices start from $2.22 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140755]

Joel Robinson

The enduring appeal of Kew's tree-lined streets and village lifestyle

"For me, it's the location." That was the first thing Chris pointed to when reflecting on why he and his wife Marita decided to purchase at Candela Ivanhoe, the under-construction new apartment development by Salter Brothers in the heart of the north-eastern M​elb​ourne​ suburb. ​

"We've lived here before… everything is here," Chris said.

"Our doctor is around the corner, there's dentists, pilates, everything we need, restaurants, fast food places, two train stations, Ivanhoe and Darebin, both in walking distance. You don't need anything else."

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X8K0Bozug7A?si=Puwc6vx_ZO0qQZF8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Just 10 kilometres from Melbo​urn​e's CBD, Ivanhoe combines direct city connectivity with the amenity of an established village community. Residents have access to highly regarded schools, expansive parklands, public transport, and a thriving retail and hospitality precinct centred around Upper Heidelberg Road, all within a neighbourhood that has retained its leafy character despite its proximity to the city.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/candela-ivanhoe-40-upper-heidelberg-road-ivanhoe-vic-3079">Candela Ivanhoe</a> sits within the heart of this established landscape, positioned just moments from Ivanhoe Village and within walking distance of many of the suburb's most sought-after amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=364553]

From Candela, residents can access cafés, grocers, wine bars, restaurants and essential services on foot, while Ivanhoe Station and Darebin Station provide direct connectivity across Mel​bour​ne. The development is also surrounded by some of the suburb's best-known lifestyle destinations, including Pinkie, Laurent, Enni, Docasa and Woodfire Pizza e Cucina, alongside Ivanhoe Plaza, Woolworths, pharmacies and specialty retailers.

Green space is another defining feature of the suburb. Darebin Parklands, Ivanhoe Park, Nellie Ibbot Park and the Yarra River trail network provide extensive opportunities for recreation, while Ivanhoe Golf Course and Ivanhoe Tennis Club continue to underpin the area's long-established lifestyle appeal.

The suburb's education offering further strengthens demand. Ivanhoe Grammar School, Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School, Mary Immaculate Primary School and Ivanhoe Primary School have helped establish the area as one of Melbou​​rne's most sought-after schooling precincts, attracting families and downsizers alike who want to remain connected to the area.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=357510]

While location was the priority for Marita and Chris, the project itself also needed to meet their expectations.

"Whilst location was paramount, I was also looking at design of the environment and Candela ticked every box," Marita said.

"We're just thrilled with our choice."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=336455]

Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/salter-brothers">Salter Brothers</a>, Candela Ivanhoe has been designed to complement its village setting, with an emphasis on generous floorplans, natural light and practical everyday living.

Residents will have access to a range of shared amenities, including a communal rooftop garden and dedicated residential lounge, complemented by a ground-floor café and lifestyle wellbeing centre, helping foster the sense of community already emerging among future owners.

That approach has resonated strongly with the market. More than 90 per cent of purchasers at Candela Ivanhoe are owner-occupiers, with buyers ranging from downsizers and second-home buyers to young families and first home buyers, creating a genuinely multi-generational community of grandparents, parents and children. It reflects a broader shift across Melbo​​urne's apartment market, where buyers are increasingly prioritising neighbourhood quality, lifestyle amenity and long-term liveability.

Currently under construction by Ironside, Candela Ivanhoe comprises 58 apartments. Candela Ivanhoe is scheduled for completion in the coming months, and residents can move in from September. One to four bedroom residences, prices from $649,000 and limited opportunities remaining.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=342]

Location and lifestyle drive demand at Candela Ivanhoe

As apartment buyers increasingly look beyond the four walls of their residence, the quality and depth of shared amenity has become a defining factor in how developments are designed and experienced, particularly in the high-rise, new apartment development space.

In Southbank, where high-density living continues to evolve, developers are placing greater emphasis on creating environments that support wellbeing, connection, and convenience as part of everyday life.

That approach sits at the heart of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aura-at-melbourne-square-7-hoff-boulevard-southbank-vic-3006">AURA</a>, the latest residential tower in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/osk-property">OSK Property</a>’s $3.5 billion Melbourne Square precinct. Rising 67 storeys above Hoff Boulevard, the 673-apartment development has been conceived around what OSK describes as a “vertical wellness ecosystem”, a layered collection of amenities that extends throughout the building rather than being confined to a single podium level.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370263]

The amenity offering begins on the seventh level within the AURA Club, a dedicated resident hub focused on health, relaxation, and daily convenience. Here, residents will have access to an indoor swimming pool, cold plunge, spa, sauna, and steam room, alongside a fully equipped gym, reformer Pilates studio, and yoga room.

The wellness facilities are complemented by a range of spaces that acknowledge the changing ways people live and work. Work-from-home lounges and co-working areas sit alongside a library, music room, games room, cinema facilities, and open-air terrace spaces, providing residents with flexible environments that can adapt throughout the day.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367468]

Beyond the internal amenity, AURA introduces a series of Japanese-inspired gardens that form a quieter counterpoint to the tower’s social spaces.

Landscaped retreats feature curated outdoor dining, tranquil courtyard seating, fire pit, and a tea house pavilion. Rather than functioning as simple recreational areas, the gardens have been designed as places for reflection and informal gathering, drawing on principles of balance, nature, and calm that underpin the project's broader design philosophy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367810]

The social amenity continues to evolve as residents move higher through the building. Levels 49 and 50 house the Meridian Club, where a lounge bar, conservatory spaces, and private dining rooms take advantage of elevated city views. At the summit of the tower, the exclusive Cumulus Club spans Levels 66 and 67, offering additional lounges, private dining, and meditation and treatment rooms positioned above Melbourne’s skyline.

For OSK Property, the extensive amenity offering reflects a broader focus on wellbeing as a core component of apartment living rather than an added feature.

“Aura stands tall as an exemplar of holistic wellness – its focus on social, physical and mental health culminate in a building that is calming, restorative and relaxing, where residents will have their own sanctuary within the well-connected and sought-after Southbank,” says OSK Property CEO Chong Boon Woon.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367796]

AURA’s amenity strategy extends beyond the tower itself through its integration with the wider Melbourne Square precinct.

Residents will have direct access to Kennedy Park, Southbank’s 3,745 sqm landscaped public park, alongside a full-line Woolworths supermarket, childcare centre, hospitality venues, and approximately 1,600 sqm of additional retail planned within AURA’s lower levels. Together, these elements create a highly connected residential environment where daily needs, recreation, and wellness are woven into the fabric of the community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370253]

As Melbourne’s apartment market continues to mature, developments are increasingly judged by the lifestyle they provide beyond individual residences.

Through its combination of wellness facilities, landscaped retreats, social clubs, and precinct-wide amenity, AURA represents a shift toward a more comprehensive model of vertical living, one where shared spaces play as significant a role as the homes themselves.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151921]

AURA elevates amenity living at Melbourne Square

Builder-developer Scion is the latest to target Sydney's booming Hills Showground Metro precinct, filing plans for more than 100 apartments within walking distance of the station.

Scion has lodged a concurrent rezoning and State Significant Development Application for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/27-33-middleton-avenue-castle-hill-nsw-2154">27–33 Middleton Avenue</a>, where it plans to replace four existing homes with an 11 and 14-storey mixed-use development comprising 109 apartments, six affordable housing dwellings, and a ground-floor café.

Designed by BHK Architects, the proposal includes three levels of basement parking with 174 spaces, more than 1,200 sqm of communal open space, and extensive landscaping across the 3,791 sqm site.

The development has been designed as two buildings connected by a recessed wintergarden spine, with the 14-storey building positioned to the south and the 11-storey building to the north.

<img alt="Scion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="64dc359d-736b-43b8-87a8-70a8285cab47" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-25%20at%208.47.01%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=PXh.m8id_aevBPHEckPf88wQ2RQThPos" />

The apartment mix has been weighted towards owner-occupiers, with 13 one-bedroom apartments, 55 two-bedroom residences, 31 three-bedroom apartments, six three-bedroom lofts, and four four-bedroom homes. Six apartments will be dedicated as affordable housing in line with the NSW Housing SEPP.

According to the Architectural Design Report by BKH, the proposal seeks to create "a place-responsive architecture" inspired by the natural landscape surrounding Cattai Creek, while strengthening the public domain through landscaping, active frontages and a neighbourhood café.

Atlas Urban, in its Urban Design Report, says the proposal takes a different approach to increasing density around Hills Showground Station by favouring a more slender, vertically articulated built form over a conventional mid-rise outcome. The report argues this allows for greater deep soil planting, improved solar access and a better public domain outcome, while still delivering additional housing close to rapid public transport.

The site sits around 500 metres from Hills Showground Metro Station, within a precinct earmarked for significant residential intensification following the opening of the Sydney Metro Northwest line. Planning documents accompanying the application note that Greater Sydney's population has grown by more than one million people since planning for the precinct first began, reinforcing the need to accelerate housing delivery around existing transport infrastructure.

Scion is expanding its development pipeline which also includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/chatham-west-ryde-2-6-chatham-road-west-ryde-nsw-2114">Chatham in West Ryde</a>, 62 apartments which are approaching completion. They also have a State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/96-anzac-avenue-west-ryde-nsw-2114">145 apartments on Anzac Avenue</a>, also in West Ryde.

First look: Scion plots Castle Hill apartment development near Hills Showground Metro Station

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>&nbsp;has unveiled its scaled-back plans for a pair of towers rising up to 49 storeys directly opposite Bella Vista Metro Station.

The builder-developer will deliver 674 apartments and a new mixed-use hub at the gateway to the station precinct.

The State Significant Development Application has been lodged under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway for the 6,979 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/9-11-mawson-avenue-bella-vista-nsw-2153">9-11 Mawson Avenue</a>, with the apartments sitting above a mixed-use podium. Initial plans were for closer to 900 apartments across two 40-storey towers.

Located around 30 metres from the Bella Vista Metro Station entrance, the development is intended to act as a catalyst for the long-planned Bella Vista Station Precinct, transforming a vacant site into a transit-oriented residential and commercial destination.

Planning documents describe the project as delivering "a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21c08216-589e-490d-ad08-2d88b6fa62d9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20podium.png?VersionId=3TnwjjQCNwTsmyQRaWnFrLTSAF0CJeka" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/turner-studio">Turner</a>, with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, the project comprises 674 apartments, including 102 affordable housing dwellings representing 15 per cent of the residential floor space. The housing mix spans studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside a collection of townhouse-style residences integrated into the podium levels. The development also includes specialist disability accommodation and an elevated provision of adaptable and liveable housing.

The mixed-use podium has been designed to create an active urban centre around the Metro station, incorporating a 1,423 sqm supermarket, a 3,029 sqm gym, specialty retail spaces, a 100-place childcare centre and a publicly accessible "city room" community space. A secondary laneway, active frontages and landscaped public areas are intended to improve pedestrian connectivity through the site and strengthen links between the station precinct and surrounding neighbourhood.

In the project's design report, Turner said the proposal responds to Bella Vista's emerging role as a higher-density centre within Sydney's north-west growth corridor.

"The project transforms a strategically located site into a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting," the report states.

"Active frontages, a publicly accessible city room, a secondary laneway and a mix of uses including a local supermarket, child care centre and gym create a more complete and socially useful urban environment for residents, workers and the wider community."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0fde6220-82de-4f6a-9b63-d0fd8157acc9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20da.png?VersionId=7hEmuSutH8plTd_RqqdmPu055F6qe554" />

Urban Property Group has been one of the busiest developers across Greater Sydney this year.

The developer is progressing around 1,000 apartments across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-urban-property-group-plans-next-major-wollongong-tower">two projects in Wollongong</a>, with several thousand more homes in the pipeline across Newcastle, Castle Hill, Little Bay and Penrith.

Jonathan Chancellor

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