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AMP Capital’s Shane Oliver has emerged as the nation’s highest-profile economist.
A survey found he had more than twice as many media mentions across print and online news sites over the past year than any other economist.
Oliver had 2507 mentions in major print and online publications in 12 months, according to figures compiled by media monitoring provider Streem, who did not include radio and TV.
The tally included numerous references to his <a href="/news/shane-oliver-pushes-cash-rate-cut-forecast-back-to-later-this-year">RBA cash rate forecasts</a>.
Craig James, the chief economist at CBA’s stockbroking business CommSec, was the only economist from a major bank to make the top five of the list, according to the figures.
Dr Oliver’s tally, which works out to nearly seven news stories a day, was more than double that of James (1041).
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The <a href="/expert-insights/buying/housing-affordability-reaches-13-month-high-finder-rba-survey">property-focused economist Nerida Conisbee</a>, from REA Group, was third, having appeared in 959 media items over the year, as she moved to replace the gap vacated by Domain's Dr Andrew Wilson.
Dr Oliver, the chief economist is also head of investment strategy for the $187 billion AMP Capital fund. His contributions regularly appear on Property Observer.
The figures examined mentions of economists in metropolitan print and online news stories for the 12 months from April 2018 to March 2019.
Streem’s partnerships lead, Conal Hanna, said some economists were favoured by particular news outlets but Dr Oliver was “simply everywhere” with 2507 mentions over the past year.
Currently holidaying in Sydney, Chris Richardson, of Deloitte Access Economics, often a favourite of political journalists, came in fourth with 877 mentions.
The fifth most quoted was former Grattan Institute director Saul Eslake, the vice-chancellor’s fellow with the University of Tasmania.
Also on the top 10 list of economists are Alan Oster of NAB, Bill Evans of Westpac and David Plank of ANZ, The Australian reported.
The data had been restricted to people who were quoted in news stories as “economists”. The figures don’t include opinion page contributions.
Dr Oliver was among several market economists that had tipped the RBA to cut rates at today’s meeting.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Shane Oliver ranked as Australia's highest-profile economist

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There was a red hot competition when a towering Stawell landmark went to weekend auction. 
The Victorian Wimmera town's<a id="LPlnk815811" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.monaghansrealestate.com/property/1954/vic" target="_blank"> historic fire station</a> (above and below) fetched $360,000, well above its envisaged $200,000 sale price. 
Monaghan estate agent Terry Monaghan said the converted Victorian Romanesque-style building ignited interest from buyers across Victoria. 
But it sold to a local chiropractor who needed more space.
There were seven disappointed buyers.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/5/6/Fire2.jpg" alt="">
"Anything with a tower or steeple, people go crazy," said Monaghan said.
The heritage-protected station and adjoining bell tower date back to the 1880s when designed by architect George Inskip for the volunteer fire brigade.
It was sold by the Country Fire Authority in 1991 for $48,000 before being bought by the current vendors in 2008 at $151,000 who then converted the first floor into an open-style apartment.
The station was one of the first buildings in Stawell, set 230 kms from the Melbourne CBD.
Set in an elevated position, the tower offers views over the town and towards the Grampians National Park.
Heritage Victoria list it as one of the few intact 19th century fire stations with a bell tower remaining in Victoria.
Another historic property for sale in Stawell is at <a id="LPlnk697424" class="OWAAutoLink" href="http://www.araratballaratrealestate.com.au/?/property/3340334/17-leslie-street-stawell-vic-3380" target="_blank">17 Leslie Street</a> (below) which was built as the home for Stawell's first police superintendent in 1869. 
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Agent Ross Matthews has it listed at $465,000.
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There were 1,472 homes taken to auction across the combined capital cities this week, increasing from 1,026 over the prior week, although still much lower than the 2300 this week last year.
CoreLogic's preliminary results put the national clearance rate at 58.8 per cent, up from last week’s final clearance rate of 50.4 per cent.
The same time last year saw the clearance rate at 62.1 per cent. 
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"Once final results are collected, the final clearance rate will most likely revise down to the low 50 per cent range," auction analyst Kevin Brogan said.
In Melbourne, 678 homes were taken to auction, up from 498 over the previous week. The same week last year saw 1,144 homes taken to auction across the city. Melbourne's preliminary auction clearance rate came in at 60 per cent, up from 53 per cent over the previous week, although lower than this time last year (63 per cent).
A South Yarra apartment sold for $1.58 million, as 180,000 over reserve, when offered for the first time since it was built in 1935.
The <a id="LPlnk55244" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.bigginscott.com.au/property/PRHSBJ_1_7828" target="_blank">3/7 Alexandra Avenue offering</a> (below), with Yarra River views, sold through Biggin &amp; Scott agent Tom McCarthy who had five bidders.
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The Herald Sun reported the successful buyers were from the country who will use it as a bolt hole.
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Sydney was host to 535 auctions this week with preliminary results returning a 66.6 per cent clearance rate across the initial 326 results. 
Over the previous week, 332 auctions were held across the city and a final clearance rate of 52 per cent was recorded. 
This time last year, 63 per cent of the 797 Sydney homes auctioned were successful.
The highest residential sale in Sydney from yesterday was <a id="LPlnk953062" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://strathfield.randw.com.au/property/0000405247" target="_blank">27A Kingsland Road, Strathfield</a> (below) for $2,780,000 though Richardson and Wrench Strathfield.
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It last sold at $1.4 million in 2005.
Domain noted the house attracted 12 registered bidders, with eight active when the home sold for more than $200,000 over reserve.
Across the smaller auction markets, Brisbane was the only city to see a fall in both auction volumes and the clearance rate week-on-week, while year-on-year, all capital cities saw a fall in auction volumes.
Brisbane's priciest sale was a five bedroom 2006-built Queenslander at <a id="LPlnk505732" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.eplace.com.au/property/QLD-MORNINGSIDE-R2-1834985" target="_blank">102 Belgrave Street, Morningside</a> which had sold in 2013 at $900,000.
The nation's cheapest result was a pre-auction sale in St Kilda at $198,500.
Hockingstuart advertised the Cosmos studio at <a id="LPlnk455753" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.hockingstuart.com.au/property/4-42-waterloo-crescent-st-kilda-vic-3182-87837" target="_blank">4/42 Waterloo Crescent</a> as affordable. At less than 30 sqm, it last sold at $131,000 in 2007.
The late 1950s unit was marketed with a price guide of $190,000 to $209,000.
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Red hot competition when a towering Stawell fire station landmark 

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An overview of ANZ's home loan portfolio from their half year results investor pack published today shows a big fall its in its investor portfolio along with a big drop in interest-only loan borrowers.
Just 18 percent of their portfolio is IO compared with 26 percent this time last year and 36 percent in 2017.
The number of investor loans has dropped over the two years from 34 percent to 31 percent.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/5/1/ANZ-Home-Loan-Portfolio.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge</a>.
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At $269 billion lent, its entire loan book has 1 million accounts, down on the 1,018,000 this time last year.
Some 82 pecent of loans are variable.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/5/1/ANZ-Australi-Division-Portfolio.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
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There is an average 55 percent LVR compared with an originating 67 percent LVR. 
The average loan size has kept up to $269,000, up from $266,000 this time last year.
ANZ says it has 15.1 percent market share.
Around 52 percent of loans are broker originated.
ANZ Banking Group met expectations against a difficult operating environment with 2 per cent rise in cash profit to $3.564 billion.
 
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ANZ's home loan portfolio shows big drop in interest-only borrowers

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Australia’s most infamous property spruiker Rick Otton, the controversial How To Buy A House For $1 author, has filed for bankruptcy, crippled by the largest fine in corporate history.
It comes five months after he and his company were fined $18 million for misleading property investors following ACCC legal action.
The Federal Court judgment found breaches of Australian Consumer Law of $12 million against Otton’s business and $6 million against him personally.
But his four bank accounts have just $18,800, including $5.74 with NAB, ­according to his statement of affairs filed on the national personal insolvency index at the Australian Financial Security Authority.
There was $37,000 owing on his credit cards.
Otton’s We Buy Houses company had been conducting “training programs” since 2000.
It is known that between 2011 and 2014, he generated around $20 million in revenue from the training programs.
The Court found that Otton made false or misleading representations that his students could successfully implement the wealth creation strategies he taught.
About 3400 consumers attended the free seminars, and a further 2000 people attended the boot camps. Would-be investors were given some information at the initial free session, then more if they paid $3000 to attend the boot camp or the $26,000 mentoring workshops.
The court noted “there may have been consumers who were determined to buy the respondents’ snake oil regardless of the respondents’ conduct”.
Otton, who demonstrated he was “profoundly uninterested” in compliance, was banned from managing corporations for 10 years in Australia.
Otton’s last property deal was the recent sale of his own Bondi Beach semi.
The four-bedroom Roscoe Street property, listed with a $3.2 million to $3.5 million price guide, fetched $2.9 million last December, having been bought in 2007 for $1.6 million.
He now gives his address as a one bedroom Coogee flat.
His paperwork advised his occupation now as a retiree.
There was little property listed as assets, just a Otton family superannuation trust owning a $2 million commercial building, along with an option to buy a 45,000 Euro apartment building at Saint Spyridonas in Greece, where he's shifted his spruiking sessions.
Otton taught real estate investment strategies that suggested students could buy a house for $1, without needing a deposit, bank loan or real estate experience, using little or none of their own money to create passive income streams through property.
They were advised they could quit their jobs to start making profits immediately.
In August 2017, the Federal Court found these claims were misleading, in contravention of the Australian Consumer Law, with Otton lodging an appeal.
The book authored by Otton, and websites included testimonials from ‘students’ claiming they were able to buy a house for $1, which the court found were false.
The ACCC instituted proceedings against We Buy Houses and Otton in 2015 following a co-ordinated investigation with New South Wales Fair Trading. 
Justice Jacqueline Gleeson’s judgment said consumers enticed by Otton were given a variety of strategies which included “rent-to-buy”, a “sandwich lease option” involving a middleman, and “sweat equity” option, where the buyer carries out renovations in lieu of paying a deposit.
Justice Gleeson accepted that some of the strategies were theoretically possible, but added there was no evidence they had been used by its students successfully.
None of WBH’s most successful students, known as “big kahunas”, provided evidence to the court to show what they had claimed to have achieved.
The ACCC called nine consumers as witnesses to describe how they had never achieved success.
One consumer and his partner attempted to buy properties in Bass Hill, Quakers Hill, Homebush West, North Bondi, Eastlakes and Lake Haven without financial success.
“In her judgment on liability, Justice Gleeson said the free seminars were a waste of time, and that the boot camps and the mentoring programs were an expensive waste of time,” the ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.
The decision imposed the largest pecuniary penalty order against an individual and separately, against a corporation, for breaches of the ACL, has been heralded as a new era of tougher penalties for ACL breaches.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Property spruiker Rick Otton files for bankruptcy

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<div class="m_-4316370515819688225gmail_signature" dir="ltr" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">Gavin Rubinstein has departed Ray White Double Bay, where based on sales commissions he was the agency’s best performer globally last year.</div>
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It was announced by Ray White Double Bay’s managing director, Elliott Placks tonight.
"There is no doubt that Gavin had left an indelible mark on the Sydney property scene in his career to date," Placks said.
“We have enjoyed watching Gavin and his team grow and develop over the years. 
"Our business is like family, and sometimes you have to let them go to grow. ” Mr Placks said.
It was last September when the founding directors of Ray White Double Bay, Craig Pontey and Michael Finger sold their shareholdings to Elliott Placks, securing a 30-strong sales force.
The Ray White Double Bay office had previously sold more than $930 million annually, being the number one office in Ray White’s Australian network for the last seven years.
Rubinstein, 31, celebrated 10 years in the real estate industry in 2017, and was just nine months short of 10 years with Ray White.
Rubinstein ranked as the number one residential salesperson in all of Australia for Ray White in the past six years.
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<div>There has been no indication from Rubinstein as to his next move, and there are denied whispers he is headed to LJ Hooker's Avnu.</div>
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<div>The departure was announced at 7.30pm, just minutes after Rubinstein posted an Instagram on his latest Dover Heights auction offering.</div>
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<div>His social media profiles still have him at Ray White. </div>
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<div>Rubinstein has previously said he has found technology, media and social media as a great way to stay in touch on a mass scale.</div>
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"It’s guerilla marketing.
“I engage with most of my clients through Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram and constantly am active on these platforms.”
He has 20,000 followers in Intsagram.
He once said what sets him apart from other agents all comes down to hard work.
“Work ethic and discipline around what is required to be done daily to succeed in this business.
"I simply outwork the competition. 
"It is very hard to beat someone who doesn’t give up.”
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<div>Rubinstein likes the international highlife, regularly taking off for short stays at the Beverly Hills Hotel in LA.</div>
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His mates call it his second home.
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Rubinstein sold TV personality Larry Emdur his and wife Sylvie's <a href="/news/larry-emdur-secures-apartment-in-the-rocks">Sydney CBD bolthole late last year.</a>
Placks, this evening described it as simply “a parting of ways” having briefly initially been reported as describing the parting of ways as a “divorce”.
“It’s not an ugly divorce in any sense,” he reportedly said.
“Our values have shifted over the past six months and we’ve decided to part ways."
Placks said Rubinstein’s current listings would continue to carry Ray White Double Bay branding.
Rubinstein told the local paper The Wentworth Courier he didn’t wish to comment.
Last October he was featured on the front cover of the paper, described as "a celebrity in the dazzling world of eastern suburbs property."
 
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Gavin Rubinstein departs Ray White Double Bay

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With no-one from Sydney, Katie and Alex Middlemiss, who have an 1880s cottage in the Southern Tablelands, are the NSW representatives on the new season of House Rules which premiered on Channel 7 on Sunday evening.
They moved to Gundaroo from the ACT in 2016 when they paid $470,000 for the near derelict two bedroom 70 square metre cottage on its 1900 square metre block (pictured below). 
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Photo from listing in January, 2012
She's billed as the stay-at-home mum, Katie, 29, and her Federal Police officer husband, Alex, 32.
They told host Joanne Griggs they desire a working kitchen and a master bedroom that doesn't leak.
She's been a personal trainer, done midwifery and founded Fudie, which provided nutritious meals to busy individuals around Canberra. 
Despite their obvious renovation failings (she's set to be the brains and him the brawn), the couple admit the series has been a crazy ride with many sacrifices - the hardest being away from their 14 month old daughter Haillie.
So far, social media has been kind to the couple, with most queries about where she gets her hair done (she responded its over the border at Hair by Molly in Canberra), and we've already seen strong social influencers backing her efforts.
The seventh season of the show features an expanded judging panel comprised of designer Jamie Durie, international design guru Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and local style expert Wendy Moore.
Designer Carolyn Burns-McCrave will again mentor and help the six state teams as they travel around the country transforming each other’s homes.
This article first appeared in The Sunday Telegraph. 
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Gundaroo's Katie and Alex representing NSW on 2019 House Rules

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Sydney’s crane construction count has again eased a tad from its 2017 peak.
Not too significantly, but it does mean fewer jobs for construction workers and that flows through into the NSW economy.
There are currently 310 cranes on the Sydney skyline, down from the 350 peak which came with six years of consecutive rises in crane numbers.
Of these some 229 are residential cranes nicely spread across 113 suburbs.
The CBD and surrounding inner suburbs have 106 (34%) of the installed cranes, the eastern suburbs have 13 (4%), the north has 107 (34%), the south has 27 (9%), the west has 57 (18%).
Every crane in the sky is sign of confidence in the future of Sydney.
With counting cranes in China a little complex, Sydney still sits second to the longtime undisputed global leader for tower cranes in the Middle East. On one recent count, Dubai proudly had 1182 cranes, with their build it and they will come philosophy.
Residential cranes in Sydney account for 74% of all cranes in Sydney, and 44% of residential cranes nationally.
As always, it is a dynamic situation with 127 additions and 141 removals of residential cranes over the past quarter, according to the latest edition of the Rider Levett Bucknall Crane index which highlights the vital role of the construction sector within Australia’s economy.
There were cranes removed from Castle Hill, Dee Why and Chatswood as apartment projects reached completion.
Seven cranes were removed from residential projects in the south, driving the overall dip in crane numbers. 
Sydney's west saw the most significant decline in overall cranes from 78 to 57, with 42 now being residential.
Some 49 cranes were removed in the west and 28 added including Ed Square's four cranes and three at the Lennox in Parramatta.
More came to Darling Harbour.
The report also counted five residential cranes across Newcastle, down from eight last year, and none at Wollongong. There's 12 residential on the Central Coast, out of the 13 in the region, including Terrigal and Gosford with six.
There are some interesting national cyclical trends emerging across the capital cities.
Currently Sydney has 42% of all cranes erected nationally, while Melbourne contributed 30% and Brisbane 8%. Sydney’s dominance has fallen slightly from the high of 52% in 2017. Melbourne’s crane numbers surged past the 200 mark for the first time.
In the first quarter of 2019 there were 735 cranes counted across Australia, with 530 for residential projects and 205 non-residential developments, including the non-residential sector of offices, transportation, hotels, education, health and retail.
New commencements will be affected by the current conditions impacting the industry including tightening finance availability, falling foreign investment and general market confidence.
While potential developments are being delayed until more favourable conditions emerge, the level of forced development site disposals is very low compared to past downturns when very high interest rates - as either holding costs or purchasing costs - caused unsold blackholes across Sydney.
Our construction spurt has helped NSW maintain the lowest unemployment rate in the nation at 4.3%.
But one indicative economic indicator suggests property industry jobs are slowing.
According to the jobs website <a href="http://seek.com.au/" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://Seek.com.au&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1554848099068000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFbD-KcjvnISkJqcZiMptgC6NAnyQ">Seek.com.au</a>, construction industry job advertisements are 14% lower than this time last year, while real estate jobs are down 15% and design and architecture jobs down 20%.
All those tradies in high visibility vests - buying their pies at lunchtime, spending up on tools, filling up their utes with fuel and buying their own first homes - are underpinning NSW's economic progress.
This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph. 
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Sydney's crane count shows why tradies underpin the state's economic fortunes 

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There's been plenty of speculation about the looming cliff faced by the interest only borrowers who are due to have their loans reset to the pricier principal and interest loans.
It comes as large price falls in some parts of Australia has meant some borrowers are facing negative equity – where the outstanding balance on the loan exceeds the value of the property it is secured against.
While this negative equity creates vulnerabilities both for borrowers, especially if they are selling, and their lenders, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) recently noted it doesn't anticipate risk to the financial stability of the economy.
Certainly nothing like the impact of negative equity peaks in the United States at over 25% in 2012 and in Ireland at 35%, as prices fell 30 and 50% respectively.
The RBA noted around 10% of loans in negative equity have interest only terms expiring in 2019.
Loans currently in negative equity were, on average, taken out around five years ago and had higher average Loan to Value Ratios (LVRs) at origination, of around 85%.
For these borrowers, the increase in repayments may be distressing for the borrowers and for the communities they live in.
The RBA research shows that negative equity is concentrated in Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory, largely restricted to mining-exposed regions.
These locations account for 90% of mortgage debt in negative equity.
The RBA maintains the low rates of negative equity outside the mining-exposed regions reflect three factors: the previous substantial increases in prices; the low share of loans written at high LVRs; and the fact that many households are ahead on their loans.
The RBA cautions that further significant housing price falls in Sydney and Melbourne would see negative equity increase, but widespread defaults are unlikely, the RBA financial stability review suggested.
Any increase the incidence of negative equity will only arise with those high LVR borrowers.
Across Australia, around 11% of national loans have a current LVR between 95 and 100%.
Housing prices in some areas of Sydney and Melbourne have fallen by close to 20% from their 2017 peak.
But the RBA review noted only a small share actually purchased at peak prices, and many experienced rises before prices fell.
Properties purchased in Sydney and Melbourne since prices peaked account for 2% of the national dwelling stock.
Properties purchased in these two cities since prices were last at current levels only account for 4.5% of the dwelling stock.
Few recent borrowers have had been allowed loans with high LVRs.
In fact, over the past five years, the share of loans with LVRs above 90% has halved.
Since 2017, it has averaged less than 7%.
Around 80% of loans are issued with an LVR of 80% or less.
Given most borrowers do not have high LVRs, housing price falls will need to be larger for widespread negative equity.
Of course, if a borrower has also paid off some of their debt then price declines will need to be larger still.
Around 70% of loans are estimated to be at least one month ahead, with 30% ahead by two years or more.
When a borrower is behind on repayments, banks classify the loan as impaired.
Currently the impaired housing loans rate sits at 0.2% of all mortgages. 
This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph. 
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Australian negative equity remains below 2% of borrowers: RBA

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There were big losers and big winners at weekend auctions as the volume picked up after the Easter break.
Listings are still lower than a normal autumn given the virtual long weekend, lingering school holidays and encroaching Federal election nervousness.
The markets remain weak with volumes well down from a year ago, Shane Oliver, the AMP Capital chief economist noted.
Queensland mortgagees accepted $120,000 in the nation's cheapest weekend auction sale.
It was on Russell Island, off the Queensland coast in Redland City near North Stradbroke Island, where a two bedroom 2007-built house (to) was sold for the bargain price.
The $120,000 sale price was lower than its prior two sales, according to CoreLogic.
It fetched $159,000 in May last year, and $180,000 in 2009.
The island's median house price sits at $199,000, having peaked at $233,000 in 2010, and dipping to $170,000 in 2015.
The 2007-built home also went under contract late last year when there was a $155,000 asking price, but the sale did not proceed.
LJ Hooker Bay Islands secured the sale of vacated <a id="LPlnk602187" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://bayislands.ljhooker.com.au/house-in-russell-island-qld-4184-au-g3dgwy#.XMUuDC1L1QI" target="_blank">74 Falconhurst Road</a> offering on the biggest of the Southern Moreton Bay islands.
There have been 30 sales on Russell Island this year, ranging from $475,000 for a waterfront house which had been on and off the market for six years to $24,500 for a vacant block of land, at half its prior sale price.
Melbourne's priciest sale, a $3 million Blackburn development site which was snapped up pre-auction, also reflected a price drop result.
The <a class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.raywhite.com/vic/blackburn/2087589/?lang=en" target="_blank">61-63 Whitehorse Rd, Blackburn</a> offering (below) came with approved plans for 12 residences on the 1470sqm residential growth zone development site.
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But the large weatherboard house with another residence last sold at $3.64 million in 2016, according to CoreLogic.
The top house sale was $1.85 million in Caroline Springs, 25 km west of Melbourne's Central Business District, within the City of Melton. 
The <a id="LPlnk571792" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.firstnational.com.au/buy/real-estate/1281938/15-lauriston-quay-caroline-springs-vic-3023" target="_blank">15 Lauriston Quay</a> offering had price guidance of $1.1 million to $1.2 million through First National.
The luxury 2005-built home, on a 976 sqm block directly opposite the lake in the prestigious The Bridges Estate boasts six bedrooms, three of which are grand masters. 
It last sold in 2013 at $937,000, the first time it sold as a home with 650 sqm of floor space.
One on Brighton’s iconic bathing boxes failed to sell at weekend auction when offered by a family that had owned the box for three generations..
<a id="LPlnk873996" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.hockingstuart.com.au/property/bathing-box-34-esplanade-brighton-vic-3186-167341" target="_blank">Bathing Box 34, just off The Esplanade</a> (below) was passed in on a $280,000 vendor bid.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/Box1.jpg" alt="">
It now has a $310,000 asking price for the box which has a sea life mural on the front.
Hocking Stuart agent Rowan Thompson told the Herald Sun his two potential buyers hadn’t shown at the auction. 
<div class="wp-caption">
The last bathing box sale, No. 89, sold for more than $330,000 a few weeks ago.
</div>
Across Australia’s two largest cities, there were 497 Melbourne homes taken to auction, increasing on the 50 homes auctioned last week, however the clearance rate dropped to 55.7 per cent, after last week’s 63.2 per cent final clearance rate.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/CL-April29.jpg" alt="">
</div>
<div class="column">
In Sydney, 329 auctions were held returning a 57.1 per cent preliminary clearance rate, improving on the 46.3 per cent final auction clearance rate last week when a lower 221 auctions were held across the city.
It was the weekend's strongest auction market, a position it has held since mid February when Adelaide ranked as the strongest auction market.
A newly built French Provincial style home in Strathfield (below) was Sydney's top result in a pre-auction sale.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/Strathfield.jpg" alt="">
Set on a 731sqm block the five bedroom full brick/concrete home with formal lounge room plus a dedicated home cinema room fetched $3.5 million.
There had been a buyers guide of $3.3 million from its selling agent David Pisano for <a id="LPlnk810060" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://strathfield.ljhooker.com.au/house-in-strathfield-nsw-2135-au-jk7fax#.XMUvfC1L1QI" target="_blank">9 Hedges Avenue</a>.
Neighbouring the golf course, the 730 sqm block was bought in 2017 at $2.055 million. 
The second highest residential sale in Sydney was <a id="LPlnk532869" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://chadwickrealestate.com.au/property/house-nsw-turramurra-1p21238/" target="_blank">33 Boomerang Street, Turramurra</a> which sold for $2,575,000 through Chadwick Real Estate.
Designed by architect Lazlo Ernst, the four bedroom two storey 1970-built, Eagleholme sits on a 942 sqm block.
It last sold in 2002 at $1.35 million.
The national preliminary clearance rate rose across the capital cities accompanied by a slightly higher volume of auctions.
Around 1,019 homes were taken to market returning a 54.6 per cent success rate, according to CoreLogic.
The higher activity this week comes off the back of the Easter slowdown which saw only 394 auctions held across the capitals and a 43.9 per cent final auction clearance rate, which was the second lowest clearance rate over the year to date.
All of the capital city auction markets saw an increase in auction activity with the exception of Canberra.
The performance however was varied, with Adelaide recording the highest success rate of 54 percent, while only 20 percent of auctions cleared in Perth.
Canberra had a 43 percent success rate with the top notified sale coming in Curtin at $1.2 million.
The recently renovated four bedroom at <a id="LPlnk772698" class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://blackshaw.com.au/residential-for-sale/0000405732" target="_blank">20 Willcock Place</a> had last sold in 2011 at $880,000. Declined on the market at $1.17 million, it sold through Mario Sanfrancesco at Peter Blackshaw Real Estate with three bidders, Domain reported.
Thee were only 18 auctions scheduled in the nation’s capital.
CoreLogic calculate around 56 percent of houses sold at capital city auctions this week, which was higher than units which returned a 49 percent clearance rate.
</div>
</div>
<div class="column">
 
 
<table style="width: 605px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5"><tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
Most expensive
</td>
<td colspan="2"> </td>
</tr>
<tr id="x_rpMostExpensive_trMostExpensiveRow_0">
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveCity_0" align="left">Sydney</td>
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveLocation_0" colspan="2">9 Hedges Av, Strathfield NSW 2135, 5 br House, LJH Strathfield</td>
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveSold_0">$3,500,000</td>
</tr>
<tr id="x_rpMostExpensive_trMostExpensiveRow_1">
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveCity_1" align="left">Melbourne</td>
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveLocation_1" colspan="2">61-63 Whitehorse Rd, Blackburn VIC 3130, 6 br House, RW Forest Hill</td>
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveSold_1">$3,000,000</td>
</tr>
<tr id="x_rpMostExpensive_trMostExpensiveRow_2">
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveCity_2" align="left">Adelaide</td>
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveLocation_2" colspan="2">18 Frome Cr, Mawson Lakes SA 5095, 4 br House, C21 Golden Estates Mawson Lakes</td>
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveSold_2">$901,000</td>
</tr>
<tr id="x_rpMostExpensive_trMostExpensiveRow_3">
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveCity_3" align="left">Brisbane</td>
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveLocation_3" colspan="2">23 Wren St, Ascot QLD 4007, 5 br House, RW Albion</td>
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveSold_3">$1,715,000</td>
</tr>
<tr id="x_rpMostExpensive_trMostExpensiveRow_4">
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveCity_4" align="left">Canberra</td>
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveLocation_4" colspan="2">20 Willcock Pl, Curtin ACT 2605, 4 br House, Peter Blackshaw Real Estate Manuka</td>
<td id="x_rpMostExpensive_tdMostExpensiveSold_4">$1,200,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
Most affordable
</td>
<td colspan="2"> </td>
</tr>
<tr id="x_rpMostAffordable_trMostAffordableRow_0">
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableCity_0" align="left">Sydney</td>
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableLocation_0" colspan="2">10 Kobada Av, Buff Point NSW 2262, 2 br House, LJH Toukley</td>
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableSold_0">$310,000</td>
</tr>
<tr id="x_rpMostAffordable_trMostAffordableRow_1">
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableCity_1" align="left">Melbourne</td>
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableLocation_1" colspan="2">14/2A Bates St, Malvern East VIC 3145, 1 br Unit, Ray White Carnegie</td>
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableSold_1">$272,000</td>
</tr>
<tr id="x_rpMostAffordable_trMostAffordableRow_2">
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableCity_2" align="left">Adelaide</td>
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableLocation_2" colspan="2">52 Swan Tce, Ethelton SA 5015, 4 br House, Ouwens Casserly</td>
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableSold_2">$570,000</td>
</tr>
<tr id="x_rpMostAffordable_trMostAffordableRow_3">
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableCity_3" align="left">Brisbane</td>
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableLocation_3" colspan="2">74 Falconhurst Rd, Russell Island QLD 4184, 2 br House, LJH Bay Islands</td>
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableSold_3">$120,000</td>
</tr>
<tr id="x_rpMostAffordable_trMostAffordableRow_4">
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableCity_4" align="left">Canberra</td>
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableLocation_4" colspan="2">95 Fullagar Cr, Higgins ACT 2615, 3 br House, LJH Kippax</td>
<td id="x_rpMostAffordable_tdMostAffordableSold_4">$510,000</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Russell Island mortgagee sale ranked as cheapest weekend auction sale

<html><body>
The Neil Clerehan-designed Barwon Heads mid-century modern has been snapped up weeks before its May auction for $6.75 million.
It was built in the late 1960s after the Gubbins family purchased their Riverside Terrace block on the river near Geelong for $1,960.
It traded for the first time in over three decades, having last sold for $160,000 in 1986 when bought by the Stasiuk family.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/bar%202.jpg" alt="">
The Gubbins family sold the home in 1978 for $111,000, and there have only been two subsequent owners since.
Set behind towering intact Moonah trees on a 1,620 square metre double block, the single level, double brick modernist home is strategically located as close to the water as much as possible.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/4/26/bar%203.jpg" alt="">
Its Fletchers Bellarine Peninsula listing agents exceeded their record breaking $6.5 million hopes.  
The record stood at $4.4 million, set in 2017 when a Paringa Lane waterfront sold quietly.
This article was first published in The Weekend Australian. 
</body></html>

Neil Clerehan-designed Barwon Heads home snapped up pre-auction

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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