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Marvellous Melbourne is set to hit our television screens on the Arena, Foxtel channel this Sunday night when the first installment of Australia’s Real Housewives reality broadcasting phenomenon premieres.
It's been billed as a mix of Kim, Kim and Kimmie. An antipodean mix of Kim Kardashian, along with Kim Cattrall from Sex and the City, and then of course our own  Fountain Lakes temptress, Kim Craig, nee Day.
Our property contrarians Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok both contend Sydney should next feature in the global franchise which also is filmed in New York, Beverly Hills, New Jersey, Atlanta, Orange County, the first in 2006, and Miami, among other US post codes. Even Vancouver, Canada. Two other versions, The Real Housewives of Athens and The Real Housewives of Israel, disappeared without trace.
Sydney Sunday Telegraph columnist Ros Reines wrote Sydney was the flashy heart and soul of the nation, and Melbourne just wasn't going to make much of a splash. "Don't get me wrong, that city has plenty going for it including some quirky shops, interesting little wine bars in laneways, pretty gardens and some major sporting fixtures including the Melbourne Cup and the Grand Prix."
Even cultural commentator Bernard Salt expressed surprised at the choice of city.
<img height="264" width="470" src="/images/stories/2014/02/21/RHOM-cast.jpg" alt="RHOM-cast">
The Real Housewives of Melbourne (left to right): Lydia, Gina, Jackie, Andrea, Chyka and Janet, picture courtesy of Arena TV
HE SAID:<img height="200" width="133" src="/images/stories/2013/09/06/jc-silhouette-5.jpg" alt="jc-silhouette-5" style="float: right;">
Move over Melbourne, or is it Mildura? The Aussie version of the Real Housewives franchise should really have always been in Sydney, the sparkling harbour city with hoardes of housewives who could provide all the excitement, opulence, aspirational glitz and excess associated with this show.
It remains to be seen if Melbourne’s Real Housewives - Chyka Keebaugh, Lydia Schiavello, Jackie Gillies, Janet Roach, Andrea Moss and Gina Liano – makes for compelling viewing.
I have my doubts that the Melbournites will be quite able to step into the big glamourous shoes set by their US counterparts such as the divorcees Camille Grammer, Kelly Killoren-Benisom and the singing countess, LuAnn de Lesseps.
Indeed Janet Roach, the Real Housewives of Melbourne champagne sipping millioniare property developer, is my big worry. Her spiel says fabulous and fun is the only way to describe the blonde bombshell who after leaving husband number two overnight is now living life to the max re-discovering herself, her freedom and what makes her happy. "Developing a massive over-55s lifestyle village in Mildura" is her current big project. So I made my enquiries in the small river town, and she'd certainly not yet left any impressions. A little more sleuthing only to uncover it's actually a caravan park she has planned. Presumably for grey nomads. It's actually a vineyard site just outside of Mildura, about 18 acres currently growing grapes for dried sultanas.
Apparently the deal's settlement awaits the upcoming harvest in the district known for its dry summers and mild winters - and being a great place for a round of golf on a Peter Thompson-designed course. Mildura is situated in north western Victoria, in the Sunraysia district, some 500 kilometres from Melbourne, on the mighty Murray River.
I gather the Gympie-born Janet Roach, aka Janet Forshaw, was interested in one of the two neighbouring caravan parks, and finding it not quite suitable, she then rang the vendor Joseph Nocera direct. He's going to keep his automotive works, I understand, which might be handy for those nomad oil changes. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.roccisano.com.au/real-estate/property/280280/land/vic/mildura-3500/lot-2-38-cureton-avenue/">He was wanting $1.5 million for the bigger entire holding on Cureton Avenue</a> (pictured below), but Janet isn't taking the lot. The suggestion from town planning sources is that she's proposing around 190 caravan sites.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/02/21/mil]}
Do you reckon anyone in Sydney with caravan park plans for Umina would get a word in edgeways in any Sydney Real Housewives series?
But I might be a tad too snobbish as the latest IBISWorld report out this week indicated travel service providers, especially cruise ship and caravan park operators, are enjoying a surge in activity from baby boomers keen to spend their hard-earned cash while they are in good health.
They say more grey nomads are hitting the open road, which is boosting revenue for the caravan parks and camping grounds industry. The industry is forecast to grow at an annualised 1.9% over the five years through 2013-14 to $1.4 billion despite the number of camping grounds declining.
Senior travellers currently account for 26.5% of the industry’s visitor nights – a figure IBISWorld expects will increase over the next decade.
Anyway when not getting the requisite approvals for the Mildura caravan park, Janet Roach keeps hereself busy on trying to <a target="_blank" href="/news">grow truffles on the Mornington Peninsula</a> under the business name, Mont Rouge Truffiere. She's previously known to have dabbled in property development at Diamond Creek and South Morang.
 
<img height="200" width="133" src="/images/stories/2013/09/06/mb-silhouette-4.jpg" alt="mb-silhouette-4" style="float: left;">SHE SAID:
Jonathan tells me he will be watching Downton Abbey on Channel 7, but he is spot on when it comes to the conclusion that it is Sydney with the wealth of material for the Real Housewives juggernaut which no one admits to watching, but everyone secretly does.
Popular Sydney lunchtime restaurants, including Catalina, Chiswick and Bather’s Pavillion, would be the first place to unearth an abundance of talent to fill a sextet of sirens to star in the show.
In fact, Judy McMahon, Catalina’s chatelaine, could be Sydney’s answer to Lisa Vanderpump, a restaurateur and long-standing cast member of  <a href="https://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills">The Real Housewives of Beverley Hills</a>. I understand Jonathan is a big fan of Lisa Vanderpump, one of the most popular Real Housewives.
And Sheeva Tavakoli, the wife of Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Kourosh Tavakoli (who live in a $16.35 million harbourfront mansion at Darling Point) is the perfect Sydneysider to take the place of Toorak’s Andrea Moss who’s married to Melbourne plastic surgeon Dr Chris Moss.
Of course, a hot contender for Gina Liano’s legal spot is Sydney beauty and well-dressed barrister, Louise McBride, who lived in a clifftop mansion at Whale Beach before moving to an apartment in Potts Point, with plenty enough wardrobe space for her impressive couturier collection. It would be fun if she could pop over to Bomera to vist the $12.5 million landmark Italianate Potts Point sandstone mansion owned by Leanne Catelan who would also be a terrific Real Housewives candidate given her experience with family stoushes.
Leanne, the daughter of Ray Catelan, the late entrepreneur once behind real estate data company RP Data, and her sister Michelle - daughters from the first of Ray’s three marriages - were involved in a battle over their father’s estate following his 2011 death.
Tiffany's stores in the city and at Westfield Bondi Junction also could be locations to discover potential Real Housewives following in the footsteps of Joyce Giraud, a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, who was spotted shopping last week with her husband Michael Ohoven at Tiffany’s store on Rodeo Drive. With her red and black polka dot mini dress, black platform heels and huge shopping bags, the 38-year-old was hard to miss.
Hair salons are another obvious hunting ground for Real Housewives talent. Heading the Sydney list is the first floor Double Bay digs of celebrity snipper Joh Bailey, with its hundreds of well coiffed clients who live in multi-million dollar eastern suburbs homes.
And for that vital real estate ingredient in Sydney, where property is almost a religion, why not an estate agent – perhaps D’Leanne Lewis, Alison Coopes or Victoria Morish? Although, flamboyant World Square city agent, Monika Tu, of Black Diamondz, might give the eastern suburbs gals a run for their money.
Given Sydney has so much to offer Real Housewives, Jonathan and I quickly cobbled together a list of suggestions for Foxtel’s executive director of television, Brian Walsh, who hopes Melbourne's offering enthralls, bemuses and dazzles. Hopefully the cameras don't visit Mildura too often! 
Brian Walsh needn't actually stray far from his own highrise home to find the Real Housewifes of 2011, tres girly, but should he wish to diversify the series elsewhere, here are our suggestions:
<img height="34" width="25" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">
Real Housewives of Mosman – the lower north shore’s beautiful harbour suburb with a smorgasbord of sporting types including horse trainer Gai Waterhouse, Sally Kahlbetzer (wife of polo player Markus Kahlbetzer who paid $18 million for Mandolong House, a vast non-waterfront estate) and a gaggle of rugby wives including Erica Gregan (wife of George Gregan), Julie Kearns (wife of Phil Kearns) and Lara Eales (wife of John Eales) who all reside in magnificent homes.
<img height="34" width="25" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">Real Housewives of Vaucluse – no shortage of talent here including Erica Packer (estranged wife of billionaire James Packer), Susie Kelly (a founder of Industrie Clothing), Sanchia Brahimi (wife of chef Guillaume Brahimi), Ann Cam (missus of carpenter Scott Cam who paid $4.6 million for a three-level residence last year), Mariana Ipkendanz (the London-based Brazillian beauty who’s yet to occupy the Peter Stutchbury designed waterfront mansion which her husband has on the market for $60 million) and breakfast radio’s Jackie O who recently renovated a $2.7 million house with husband Lee Henderson.
<img height="34" width="25" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">Real Housewives of Sylvania Waters – no respectable wife in “The Waters” would participate in a Real Housewives show considering the infamy and repercussions for Noelene Donaher, Australia’s first reality television star who, 20 years ago, had a spectacular burst of fame after starring in the BBC fly-on-the-wall series named after the suburb. But wouldn’t it be wonderful for the Real Housewives series to snare say Susan Stevens, wife of Glenn Stevens, Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia who apparently plays the guitar at his local Baptist Church? However, it’s much more likely that the couple would agree to participate in the fabulous ABC series, Family Confidential.
<img height="34" width="25" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">Real Housewives of Centennial Park – a small suburb with gracious parkside mansions and a bevy of suitable Real Housewives talent including society lioness Skye Leckie (wife of former Channel Seven boss, David Leckie, who spends weekends with her family at their Southern Highlands farm), Lisa Vandenberg (wife of spin doctor/wheeler dealer Grant Vandenberg) and Catherine Honan (a daughter of squillionarie Dick Honan, chairman of the ethanol producing Manildra Group, who owns a vast Hunters Hill waterfront home and a $10.05 million weekender at Palm Beach). Pity Divonne Holmes a Court sold out a few years ago. 
<img height="34" width="25" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">Real Housewives of Sutherland Shire – a domain of WAGS and footballers wives including Lee Furlong (wife of cricketer Shane Watson), Sara Leonardi (art gallery owner and wife of cricketer Glenn McGrath) and Rebecca Stevens (wife of footballer Jason Stevens, a celebate author who wrote Worth The Wait). Of course, Jonathan’s pick of The Shire is the genetically blessed 27-year-old celebrity model, Tahyna Tozzi, who last month tied the knot with her professional dancer fiance, Tristan McManus, while Margie’s choice is Rachel Gilbert, a fashion designer and wife of former television chippy, Tom Williams.
<img height="34" width="25" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">Real Housewives of Palm Beach - sun kissed starlets should be easy to round up in this northern beaches peninsula playground whose circa 1880 white lighthouse and golden sands already are etched in the minds of millions of viewers who tune into the television series, Home and Away. As well as some of the most expensive and exclusive beachside holiday shacks in Sydney, Palmy has dozens of potential Real Housewives including Heidi Middleton (Sass and Bide designer), Bec Cartwright (wife of tennis player Lleyton Hewitt), Shay Lewis-Thorp (a daughter of the late property developer Bernard Lewis who owns $7.4 million beachfront holiday house), Carrie Hayes Bellotti (Aspen spa/yoga studio owner and wife of banker Steve Bellotti who own an $8.4 million Iluka Road beachfront residence) and Belinda Henry (wife of banker Paul Henry) - sadly, blonde glamourpuss Amanda Nankervis no long lives in the swanky summer playground where she once reigned supreme.

<img height="34" width="25" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">Real Housewives of Point Piper - Angela Fleming, the widow of grocery tycoon Jim Fleming who recently bought a harboufront apartment, Tiffany Tilley, who briefly turned her hand at selling children's designer clothes, and is the wife of Ben Tilley, who has recently rekindled his friendship with old school mate, James Packer. Then you'd toss up between Julia Ross, Kristy Hinze and Jodie Meares, who still owns there on the peninsula, but might well depart when she marries the rock-star fiance, former INXS frontman Jon Stevens.
Undoubtedly Brian Walsh will find his way into Queensland. 
<img height="34" width="25" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" alt="flagtitletat" style="font-size: 14px; margin: 5px; float: left;">Real Housewives of the Gold Coast - hard to know where to start but you'd have to find a cameo role for A-Team Gold Coast socialite Donrecka "Chanel, Chanel, Chanel" Issakidis, wife of property developer husband Michael. She once had a gold-edged Rolls Royce key.
news@propertyobserver.com.au
       
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Melbourne's Real Housewives amid Mildura grey nomad caravan push

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We've all heard the early bird gets the worm, but the start to the 2014 selling season has been extraordinary. The property market in Sydney and Melbourne has lost none of its momentum, even with the busiest February on record. Of course maybe there are some slow coaches who just didn't get their act together last year amid the vendors.
There are some 775 auctions this weekend across Sydney, according to Australian Property Monitors. The inner west is  the most popular region for auctions this weekend in Sydney with 131 auctions, followed by the city and east with 126, the lower north with 94, the south with 93 and the upper north shore with 89 auctions scheduled.
Sydney’s February auction listing tally stands at 1,631, the third highest February total just behind the totals of 2011 and 2008.
Melbourne has 1,100 plus too this weekend, according to APM.
Melbourne’s February auction listing tally stands at 2,185, the third highest February total and just behind the numbers of 2011 and 2010.
The volumes this weekend in Sydney are 51.7% up in the same weekend last year. Melbourne's volume - which don't include Geelong - are not showing a bigger boost in listing numbers. 
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<tbody>
<tr height="17">
<td align="right" width="92" height="17" style="text-align: right;">Date</td>
<td align="right" width="99" style="text-align: right;">Sydney auctions</td>
<td width="79" style="text-align: right;">% change on 2013</td>
<td align="right" width="99" style="text-align: right;">Melbourne aucitons</td>
<td width="98" style="text-align: right;">% change on 2013</td>
</tr>
<tr height="17">
<td align="right" width="92" height="17" style="text-align: right;">18-Jan-14</td>
<td align="right" width="99" style="text-align: right;">16</td>
<td width="79" style="text-align: right;">+433.3%</td>
<td align="right" width="99" style="text-align: right;">18</td>
<td width="98" style="text-align: right;">+20.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="17">
<td align="right" height="17" style="text-align: right;">25-Jan-14</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">15</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+200.0%</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">9</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+125.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="17">
<td align="right" height="17" style="text-align: right;">1-Feb-14</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">91</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+26.4%</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">71</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">-14.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="17">
<td align="right" height="17" style="text-align: right;">8-Feb-14</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">296</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+73.1%</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">257</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+19.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="17">
<td align="right" height="17" style="text-align: right;">15-Feb-14</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">469</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+72.4%</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">619</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+32.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="17">
<td align="right" height="17" style="text-align: right;">22-Feb-14</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">775</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+51.7%</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">1131</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+22.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="17">
<td align="right" height="17" style="text-align: right;">1-Mar-14</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">666</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+45.1%</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">1078</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+24.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr height="17">
<td align="right" height="17" style="text-align: right;">8-Mar-14</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">567</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+29.2%</td>
<td align="right" style="text-align: right;">214</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">+20.2%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Source: Australian Property Monitors
The rush to list appears to trickle down a little heading into mid-March, although there might be more yet to be added, but I'd expect volumes to be strong until the Easter and Anzac Day period.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
    
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Some 775 super Saturday Sydney auctions in third busiest February on record

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Retired spin bowler Shane Warne Brighton house sale price has been registered.
The historic four bedroom house, Kilkerran, which sits on a 2,202 square metre estate, fetched $10.85 million.
Property Observer previously reported Warne sought $18 million with early and repeated offers around $13 million. Fairfax Media had put the sale price at around $15 million in ensuing reports.
The <a href="/news">Brighton</a> prestige market has been subdued for some three years or so.
The Warne sale narrowly topped the suburb's 2013 sales, just eclipsing the $10.8 million sale of Kinane to the Esposito family, which had been <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/brighton-s-mega-mansion-and-pseudo-town-hall-kinane-finally-sells/2013092465257" target="_blank">speculated as $10 million</a>.
Another big sale last year being $9.25 million when the retired cricket captain Ricky Ponting bought his Melbourne abode, also through JP Dixon.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/ricky-ponting-calls-stumps-to-sutherland-shire-innings-with-%24425-million-property-sale/2013110366115" target="_blank">Selling in Sydney's Sutherland Shire</a>, Ponting and his wife, Rianna bought the Shandford Estate, a 1920s Edwardian seven-bedroom house on 1890 square metres with tennis court and a private laneway to the nearby Brighton beach. 
When Warne's William Street property was first unofficially listed in August 2012, Sportsbet.com.au briefly took bets on what the property would fetch.
It had $10 million to $12 million as the favourite price bracket, with the odds at $2.60.
The Brighton property record remains $15.6 million, set in 2009 on Glyndon Avenue. The sale will sit as the suburb's eighth above $10 million since 2005.
Caveat title documents published last November indicated Kilkerran was being bought by the Bellesis family of Brighton. Its paperwork leads to Maria Bellesis, the wife of Ross Bellesis, CEO and owner of the automotive parts company, Socobell.
Warne paid $8.55 million for the heritage listed home in 2009, which he shared with partner Simone Callaghan and their three children before the couple split in 2010.
The Warne's prior home in Brighton included one on nearby Middle Crescent which was bought for about $3.5 million in 2000 and sold for about $8.75 million seven years later.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
      
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Shane Warne secured $10.85 million in Kilkerran sale, so no Brighton record

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The prestige listings of Sydney's inner west are setting record prices - unlike other more traditional pricey suburbs.
An amazing offering at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.georgesellis.com.au/real-estate/buy/nsw/strathfield/ge00me/">23-25 Llandilo Avenue, Strathfield</a> (pictured above) has been sold at $6.8 million through Joseph Georges.
The six bedroom, five bedroom home has 1,000 square metres of living space.
Its custom-designed theatre comes with 102 inch plasma screen.
It is set on a significant 1,972 square metre with tennis court with lights, gazebo, pool and spa.
There's a circular driveway leading to enormous seven-car garage.
"This property is reminiscent of an opulent Beverley Hills estate," Joseph Georges from the Georges Ellis &amp; Co agency told Property Observer, adding it was "magnificent in its scale and aesthetic appeal."
It set the previous record for <a target="_blank" href="/news">Strathfield</a> when sold at $5.75 million in 2007. It had been scheduled for March 29 auction through Joseph Georges and Sam Georges. 
Now <a target="_blank" href="/news">Newtown</a>'s best house is set to post a $3.5 million record with its vendors, Cadence Australia head Ron and Jocelyn Murphy off to Wentworth Towers, Point Piper.
Brockleigh, the Victorian Italianate mansion on Hollis Park last traded in 2001 for $1,427,500 when bought from Eileen Munchenberg, the widow of Aboriginal activist Charlie Perkins.
The ornate four-bedroom residence (pictured below) sits on a 480 square metre Warren Ball Avenue block, but sans parking. Brockleigh, the 1885 mansion, previously sold at $1.275 million in 1997 and at $187,500 in 1983.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/02/21/new1]}
The listing agent Michael Harris, of Raine &amp; Horne Newtown, expects it to better his previous $3.2 million high, which was set in 2010 for a Georgian-style terrace with a pool.
Sydney’s suburban regions recorded remarkably consistent results last weekend with eight regions reporting clearance rates at or above 80%, according to Australian Property Monitors.
The top performer was the Canterbury Bankstown region with a clearance rate of 86.7%.
It was followed by the city and east with 86% and the inner west, the lower north and the upper north shore each with strong clearance rates of 85.2%.
Auction sales reported last weekend to APM in the inner west included:
A three bedroom home at 49 Louisa Road Birchgrove sold by Belle Property Balmain for $2,350,000;
A six bedroom house at 13 Cameron Street Strathfield sold for $ 1,910,000 by Devine Real Estate;
A three bedroom home at 2 Carieville Street Balmain sold by McGrath Balmain Property for $1,852,000; and
A six bedroom house at 89 Park Road Burwood sold for $1,850,000 by Raine and Horne Burwood.
news@propertyobserver.com.au
   
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Lavish Strathfield offering sells for record $6.8 million as inner west prestige gathers pace

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Queensland's proposed banning of price guides for auction home listings is of great concern to leading estate agent John McGrath.
The legislation - sought by the Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie and supported by the Real Estate Institute of Queensland - proposes that an estate agent can only provide recent comparative sales, but not any guidance in print, on the web or in conversation with a person, for the actual auction property.
"Every buyer I have ever met in 32 years wants price guides," a passionate John McGrath recently told the Queensland parliamentary committee reviewing the extraordinary regressive proposal.
"I am very passionate. I am very frustrated. I am very concerned that this could take us back 50 years, and for what purpose? It benefits no-one. In fact, it is detrimental to all parties involved, in my opinion," John McGrath told the committee.
And he is spot on, as quite simply, by banning price guides on auction listings, not only are the buyers disadvantaged because they do not have the information they need to make an informed choice, but the legislation will also disadvantage sellers because they are potentially losing buyers.
McGrath says 73% of his east coast agency listings — and they sold about 8,000 last year — come with price guides.
"This legislation would remove the opportunity for us to do that," he noted.
"The obvious question of, ‘What do you think it will go for?’ is asked around the world, day in, day out, by millions of people.
"They want to say, ‘Is it $650,000 to $700,000? Why do you think it’s that? What else has sold? I’ve got $650,000 as a budget so should I come along or is this out of my price range?’"
"You would now be told in Queensland, ‘I can’t discuss price but if you’d like to give me your email address I can email you a comparative market analysis that you can have a look at.'"
But McGrath rightly says the consumer expects more. I'd suggest that certainly all those southerners who make the move to Queensland after selling their auction properties in Victoria and NSW do. Often, their only prior knowledge of Queensland property was the coverage of the notorious king of con, two-tier marketing rackets that did untold damage to the reputation of Queensland as a place to buy private treat with confidence.
Of course, as the main auction states, Victoria and NSW residents know every weekend the price guide is not the reserve or the selling price; rather it is an moving indication based on the best evidence available to the vendor and their agent as to the price it is likely to fetch.
There is not one Brisbane house going to auction this weekend with price guidance. I had a look in the Brisbane Courier Mail's weekend realestate section last Saturday and found just the one auction price estimate amid the ads and editorials within the 80 pages. That was for a McGrath listing at Coorparoo which was given as over $990,000, and a quick phone call ascertained it's been sold before auction at $980,000 given the agent Gemma Kunst gleaned sufficient buyer feedback arising from concerns over the adjoining block of flats.
Readers in Sydney are spoilt! I recall introducing strict price publication requirements for editorials within the Fairfax SMH print publication many years ago. There had to be price guidance and then this was stepped up to include the last sale price too, a worthy practice still evident in the now slimmed down supplements.
John McGrath - who has been at the forefront of property websites since the mid-1990s - points to a recent internet usage survey that indicated 66% of buyers looking on realestate.com.au passed by properties with no price guides. And I am aware of reseach that puts it as high as 90%.
"So they are marching with their eyeballs and they are moving beyond," McGrath noted.
I'd suggest home buyers might make bigger efforts to try to glean the lay of the land, but investors will more quickly look for listings with guidance, or screwdly seek to take advantage of the paucity of guidance.
Under the legislation, property websites such as realestate.com.au and domain.com.au will need to remove all Queensland auction properties from price search functions.
Buyers want three things:
Firstly, fresh reliable information.
Secondly, they want transparency.
And the third thing is that buyers and sellers want integrity.
"By removing the ability to put price guides, you are removing information which is what they want, and you are removing the transparency, because when I put a price guide in the paper a buyer knows that I have had a discussion with the seller which is the same discussion I am having with them," McGrath said.
"For too many years, this industry has had smoke and mirrors and all sorts of activities which we know have created a bad name for the industry, and we are slowly creeping away from that and I think that is through transparency and integrity.
"I am not having a discussion with a seller saying, ‘We think you might get $600,000,’ and then telling the buyer, ‘I think you might pick this up for $500,000,’ which unfortunately has been a practice in this real estate industry for far too long."
McGrath told the parliamentary committee that the legislation he would suggest ought make price guides mandatory for auctions.
He noted the legislation was being pushed by the Real Estate Institute of Queensland as they believe putting a price guide has the ability to put a ceiling on price and therefore retard its true value.
"I sold 8,000 properties last year and I can tell you that is not the case. It actually has the opposite effect because it encourages more qualified buyers to pursue the property rather than miss it."
There are also fears that allowing agents to put a price guide leads to bait advertising and potentially misleading quotes.
"Let’s not confuse misguided price estimates and price guides," says McGrath.
McGrath's view is that agents who promote properties at prices that are not true in an attempt to bait people to come should lose their licence.
The history of the McGrath agency four years ago coming to Broadbeach is interesting because they were told it was illegal in Queensland to give prices guides.
"This is why a lot of agents do not use them, because that was the perception.
"So we said, ‘This cannot be true. Queensland is such a sophisticated state; they cannot be banning price guides.’
"So we went to the higher powers that be, the institute and the government, and then we were told, ‘Well, it is actually not illegal, but we prefer you do not use it.’
"We said, ‘We like to use it and we think the buyers want it, so we are going to use it if that is okay.’
"And that, I think, has stirred the pot," he proferred as the reason behind the pending legislative vote.
The legislation is part of a package of property reforms billed as bringing property laws into the 21st century to help revitalise the market, the attorney general has suggested.
But the News Corp Australia national real estate editor, Kylie Davis, has described the Property Occupations Bill and the Agents Financial Administration Bill 2013 legislation as a breach of freedom of speech for web and print publishers.
“Under this legislation, any agent who even speaks to a journalist about what an auction property might go for is in breach of the law,” Ms Davis said.
“It claims to be protecting the rights of buyers, but the legislation keeps them in the dark.”
The legislation does allow agents to provide a written opinion of what a property is worth, but only to a “serious buyer” if the request has been made in writing by the buyer - and only then if the response is approved in writing by the vendor.
Brad McLeod, real estate state sales manager at Fairfax Media Queensland, has described the changes as counterproductive to consumer trends around visibility. “It’s reverting back to pre-online times when agents held all the information about a property,” he told the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thenewspaperworks.com.au/new-legislation-price-guides-going-going-gone/">newspaperworks website</a>.
“We’re a time poor society,” he added. “Consumers are going to turn up to properties for inspection that are out of their price range. It is not effectively utilising the time of either buyers or agents.”
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
   
 
 
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Auction price guidance essential for Queensland property market's visability and viability

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Continuing the recent run of bullish inner Sydney warehouse sales, the BresicWhitney agency secured a very snappy $3 million sale this week in Alexandria.
The 1920s property at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.bresicwhitney.com.au/#!/buy/8350" target="_blank">127 Buckland Street</a> came with a design by architect Dale Jones-Evans.
It was a 370 square metre open plan ground level flooded with atrium light. Upstairs had the two bedrooms. There was curved glass, old beams, exposed steel and polished concrete floor.
Even a zen garden.
With views towards Alexandria Park, it was marketed as within a city fringe growth hub, selling well ahead of the March 8 scheduled auction through BresicWhiteny agents Chris Nunn and Shannon Whitney. Their initial price guoidance was $2.5
It was 1997 when the singer-songwriter and adman John Hanlon secured the old building for $920,000 which came with approval for nine apartments.
But his amended plans for for just the three apartments with his twice the size of the others. Last November a freestanding Surry Hills warehouse at<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/warehouse-fetches-%2457-million-just-%2410000-shy-of-the-surry-hills-record/2013111166277" target="_blank"> 8-10 Marlborough Street </a>(pictured below) sold for $5.7 million, just $10,000 shy of the suburb's warehouse record price.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/11/12/surry]}
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.bresicwhitney.com.au/#!/buy/7976" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Set on 501 square metres</a>, it was marketed through Shannan Whitney and Nic Krasnostein as an opportunity for residential/commercial redevelopment given its B4 mixed use zoning.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
  
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Alexandria warehouse with Dale Jones-Evans conversion sells for $3 million

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Wheeler House, part of the Lonely Planet history in Richmond, has been relisted for sale.
But rather than its reported $2.5 million plus hopes of late last year's RT Edgar expressions of interest campaign, it <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-richmond-116232951" target="_blank">has $1.6 million to $1.8 million expectations for Hocking Stuart auction this weekend.</a>
Don't believe the Fairfax Media report that the Melbourne prestige market is going "fantastically" well.
<img src="/images/2014/03/19/richmond-march-17-one.jpg" alt="">
Last Saturday after noting Melbourne’s weekend auction results, I suggested the Melbourne fillip was on the wane.
Buyer's agent Mal James wrote later he'd recently detected early signs of Melbourne's $1 million plus market having a bit of a soft spot with a second weekend showing more modest results, after two gangbuster auction weekends 
James says there's still very strong demand in some segments of the market with A-Grade properties still having plenty of bidders.
<img src="/images/2014/03/19/richmond-march-17-two.jpg" alt="">
But overpriced B-graders and all the C-graders, which he describes as the ones needing a big reno and where the price is not quite right, "are not showing the same results as they did just a few months ago."
Wheeler House has been listed by vendor Phil Anderson, proprietor of Northcote lounge bar The Purple Emerald, who bought 39-41 Rowena Parade from Natasha Oberoi, of the noted Indian hotel family for $1,225,000 in 2003 when she moved to the Yarra Valley.
The initial hope that the price had doubled in the decade have been dashed.
<img src="/images/2014/03/19/richmond-march-17-three.jpg" alt="">
Designed by the firm, Robinson and Chen with a cutting edge design, it was initially the home of Lonely Planet founders Tony and Maureen Wheeler having been before that the site of the company's offices.
Architect Kai Chen gave the house pink and teal green exteriors, something of a test case against heritage color schemes, when built in 1989.
The 35-square residence first sold at $971,000 when in 2001 the Wheelers were off to their new house by the river in Hawthorn. They had paid just the $92,000 in 1986 for the Richmond property, with its 2001 auction price rated as the then highest residential price for a single dwelling in Richmond.
<img src="/images/2014/03/19/richmond-march-17-four.jpg" alt="">
The four-bedroom property features zoned living areas, a private courtyard containing a spa and pool, roof-top sundeck, home office and three-car garage.
Maureen and Tony Wheeler rank around 700th in the London Sunday Times Rich List.
While the couple are generally regarded to reside in Melbourne's Hawthorn, where they paid $1.47 million back in 1999, they are claimed by the UK as one of theirs.
The Belfast-born Maureen and her husband Tony sold their Melbourne-based Lonely Planet publishing empire for £131 million.
The couple are worth around £112 million.
<img src="/images/2014/03/19/richmond-march-17-five.jpg" alt="">
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Wheeler House, Richmond wheeled out again but with much lower price expectations

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The asset allocation to residential property within SMSFs rose from 5.6% in 2012 to 9.9% last year, according to the annual survey by SMSF Professionals’ Association of Australia (SPAA) and Russell Investments.
It was the year that saw super fund members finally recover their GFC losses, with the median balanced super option return 16.3% for the year.
Interestingly almost three quarters (67.5%) of financial advisers reported that residential property investment decisions are being directed by clients.
Amid nascent concerns that SMSF advisers are unable to demonstrate high levels of overall advisory and management competence, the research shows that greatest demand for the establishment of new SMSFs was coming from people aged between 41 to 50. The next-greatest level of demand was among those aged between 31 to 40.
Another SMSF allocation trend was the average allocation to Australian equities fell from 37.1% in 2012 to 36.1% last year.
Cash and term deposit holdings fell from 33.9% of portfolios in 2012 to 31% last year.
About 28.6% of survey respondents said they held cash to reduce risk, while 42.9% said they continued to hold a high level of cash because they were waiting for a “better investment option”.
The report suggsts many advisers are unable to demonstrate high levels of competence and professionalism required to deliver a value-added service.
Even the writing of the do-it-yourself superannuation fund's trust deed can trip things up for trustees.
The deed that permits the fund to operate precisely governs what you can and cannot do in a DIY super fund.
Bryce Figot, a director of DBA Lawyers, recently noted in the Australian Financial Review that trustees need to be aware rules that allow a fund to engage in strategies like borrowing to invest must be specifically permitted by the trust deed.
Many trustees incorrectly assume that the Superannuation Industry Supervision (SIS) legislation automatically allows DIY funds to borrow to invest. 
Banks have rejected applications for loans to buy property because they aren't happy with the wording of the trust deed.
Banks have even been known to ask for specific wording that states a fund can operate a bank account as distinct from wording that incorporates a bank account in a general way.
Perhaps this complex requisite mastery is why the Russell report found the proportion of superannuants looking to establish an SMSF in the next five years has dropped to 12.3% from 17.3%.
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
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Shift by SMSFs to property hastens, along with advisory competence concerns

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The Lodge, 1 Gahan Court, Toorak, which goes to auction this weekend, was built in the 1960s for General Motors Holden.
The modernist style home was the pinnacle of design for its time and still retains its glamorous original finishes and clever open plan design. Sadly it has no heritage protection.
It comes with point blank city skyline views from the roof top terrace.
It is being marketed as an opportunity "not to be missed."
"Either to return this home to its original calibre or to build something new to your personal tastes," Kait Davis of William Batters South Yarra.
<a href="https://www.williamsbatters.com.au/?pageCall=property&amp;propertyID=2579520&amp;realestate=1_Gahan_Court_TOORAK_VIC_3142" target="_blank">The four bedroom house is on a 579 cul de sac block</a>.
It last traded at $237,500 in 1983 when bought by motel proprietor George Crocombe.
Land title documents show GMH bought the property in 1968 from Jacques Rich. The William Batters marketing dates the house as 1965-built. GMH sold it in 1981.
Buyers agent Gina Kantzas of James Buyer Advocates expects this auction should be "hotter" than Melbourne's record breaking run of 40 degrees plus days.
"It will be a fight," she suggests.
The $2.5 million to $2.7 million initial price guidance quote was "conservative with the client's knowldge," <a href="https://www.james.net.au/rating/1-Gahan-Court-TOORAK" target="_blank">Kantzas suggests</a>.
It is among the 1320 auctions scheduled for this weekend across Melbourne and Geelong this weekend.
The clearance rate so far in February hovers around 70%, according to the REIV. 
Melbourne's reputation as the home of property auctions received a boost in the final three months of last year, with 12,855 auctions – more than 1000 a week – held around Victoria.
Unsurprisingly most of those auctions – 11,911 – were held in Melbourne with a fairly even split between the inner and middle suburbs, with 5001 auctions in inner Melbourne, 5180 in the middle suburbs but just 1730 in the outer suburbs.  There were 944 in regional Victoria.
The figure was well up on the previous quarter, with 7548 auctions held in the three months to September 30.
REIV chief Enzo Raimondo said the strength of the market during the December quarter of 2013 was such that clearance rates remained at a healthy 70 per cent, 
The auction sales netted $6.4 billion worth in Melbourne in the December quarter, compared with $4.1 billion in the previous quarter .
"That is a 58 per cent increase in total transaction value, with $3.174 billion worth of sales in inner Melbourne, $2.647 billion worth in the middle ring and $581 million in the outer suburbs."
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
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1960s Toorak home built for General Motors Holden to go to auction this weekend

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The Reserve Bank of Australia has noted while weak conditions in the labour market had weighed on consumption growth, the increase in housing and equity prices over the past year had raised the possibility that consumption growth could outpace that of income in the period ahead.

The board members noted in the February minutes that the effects of low interest rates were clearly evident in the housing market, where prices had increased further and turnover had picked up to be just below average.
"These conditions were expected to provide further support to new dwelling activity over the period ahead, and leading indicators of dwelling investment had increased," the minutes noted.
The members also observed that the softness in commercial construction meant that there was labour available to support the strong growth of higher-density dwelling construction.
Growth of housing credit was gradually picking up, particularly so for investors.
The members discussed the staff forecast for the domestic economy, which was a little stronger over the next year or so than at the time of the November Statement on Monetary Policy, in part due to the lower exchange rate.
GDP growth was expected to strengthen a little through 2014, though would be likely to be at a below-trend pace.
Growth was then expected to pick up to an above-trend pace by mid 2016.
But the outlook for the labour market was little changed, as the effect of the softer tone of the recent employment data had been largely offset by the slightly stronger growth outlook.
The inflation forecasts had been revised higher, reflecting a combination of the lower exchange rate and the higher-than-expected December quarter CPI outcome, slightly offset by a softer outlook for wages growth. Underlying inflation was expected to be around 3 per cent over the year to mid 2014 and was then expected to decline towards 2.5 per cent.
Members recognised that conditions in the labour market tended to lag economic growth, and that the labour market had remained weak following the period of below-trend growth in activity.
The minutes noted further signs that the expansionary setting of monetary policy was having the expected effects, with more timely indicators having been more positive for consumption, dwelling investment, business conditions and exports.
"Although inflation in the December quarter had been higher than expected, there were several possible explanations.
"The Board noted that it was likely the inflation reading contained some noise as well as some signal about inflationary pressures, but also presented something of a puzzle in interpreting the mix of activity and price data.
"Also, the further depreciation of the exchange rate since the December meeting was expected to add to inflation for a time, although the outlook for slightly slower wage growth was expected to help keep domestic cost pressures contained over the medium term.
"At recent meetings, the Board had judged that, given the substantial degree of monetary policy stimulus already in place, it was prudent to keep policy unchanged while assessing the continuing impact of that stimulus."
Paul Bloxham, chief economist at HSBC suggests the bottom line was today's minutes reinforced the RBA's shift to a more neutral policy bias and their greater comfort with the current level of the AUD.
"The outlook for the labour market and the degree of persistence of recent strength in inflation will be key factors determining the timing of future rate hikes.
"We see the RBA's easing phase as done and also see it as likely that the RBA may need to lift the cash rate before the end of the year," Paul Bloxham said.
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Inflationary pressures puzzles RBA in February board minutes

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">PERIFA</a> have celebrated the topping out of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf,</a> marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of Syd​ney's most anticipated waterfront communities.

Located on Sydney's harbourfront at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/putney-nsw-2112">Putney</a>, the project has now reached its highest structural point, with construction progressing strongly towards completion in 2027. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone was celebrated on-site with project partners Phoenix Property Investors, Mitsubishi Estate Asia, Versatile Construction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, consultants and stakeholders, to recognise the collective effort behind the transformation of the historic waterfront site into a vibrant new residential, marina and lifestyle destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will deliver a mix of waterfront residences and terraces, complemented by a private 36-berth marina, waterfront dining opportunities and a revitalised foreshore designed to reconnect the community with the river's edge. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said the project represented a rare opportunity to create the next chapter in Sydn​ey's long history of successful waterfront precincts. 
&nbsp; 
"Throughout Sydney, some of the city's most sought-after addresses have emerged from carefully considered waterfront precincts such as Woolloom​ooloo Wharf, Walsh Bay and Breakfast Point," Brown said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362566] 
&nbsp; 
"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362564] 
&nbsp; 
PERIFA Founder and Managing Director Fabrizio Perilli said the project reflected a shared commitment to delivering exceptional places that create long-term value for residents and the broader community. 
&nbsp; 
"The topping out milestone is a significant achievement for the Versatile Group and a testament to the collaboration between all project partners, consultants and contractors involved," Perilli said. 
&nbsp; 
"Beyond the residences themselves, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will establish a new waterfront destination that celebrates the history, character and lifestyle of this unique location while creating a lasting legacy for future generations."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=291195] 
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Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile">Versatile Construction</a>, with structural works now substantially complete across the precinct. Attention will progressively shift to the construction of the waterview terraces, apartment façades, services and interior fit-out works over the coming months. 
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With limited residences and marina berths remaining, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> continues to attract strong interest from owner occupiers and downsizers seeking a premium waterfront lifestyle within close proximity to Putne​y Village, Rh​odes, Top Ry​de and the Syd​ney CBD. 
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As one of the last opportunities to secure a residence within a new masterplanned waterfront community on Sy​dney Harbour, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is expected to remain a highly sought-after address for years to come.

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Joel Robinson

Abadeen, PERIFA, top out Putney Wharf harbourfront precinct

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."

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Jonathan Chancellor

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