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Just $200 million was given in first home buyer grants across NSW last year.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.osr.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/file_manager/fhog_apps_received_3.pdf">It was the lowest year on record</a>. The aim of attracting first home buyers into new homes - not established ones to boost construction - has allowed the state government to get the good idea headlines, but then saved millions in the budget bottom line.
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Source: NSW Office of State Revenue statistics
 
The list is an interesting mix of old and new, of greenfields and increased urban density.
<a target="_blank" href="/news">Parramatta</a> buyers topped the list of recipients with around $5.4 million in grants in the 2150 postcode. Parramatta, one of Sydney's oldest locations is undergoing a transformation with major residential projects including <a target="_blank" href="https://vbycrown.com.au">V by Crown</a> headlining its renaissance. 
The $300 million “vertical village” was officially launched in 2012, with construction of the 27-storey tower – set to be Parramatta’s tallest building – well underway. V by Crown recently reached $150 million in sales, with more than 270 apartments sold up since the project was launched in 2012.
<a target="_blank" href="/news">Spring Farm</a>, which sits second on the list of recipient postcodes at 2570, is one of the newer suburbs on the south-western rural/urban precinct. 
Spring Farm is surrounded by <a target="_blank" href="/news">Elderslie</a> to the north, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Narellan Vale</a> to the northeast, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Mount Annan</a> to the east and <a target="_blank" href="/news">South Camden</a> in the south. Until recently it principal land use has been the poultry production by the Tegal family and Neville Clinton, along with extensive orchards and vineyards along the floodplain of the Nepean River. 
The first urban development in Spring Farm was in the Ettlesdale Road area in the 1960s. In 2006 the population of the Spring Farm was 287 predominantly made up of young families with 44% of the population under 25 years of age.  
The area is planned to have around 3,900 housing lots with three separate developers, the Cornish Group with 1100 lots, Landcom 1,400 lots and Mirvac, 450 lots.
I noticed Mirvac recently sold a seven hectare holding to the Starhill Property Group for $7 million last November. In 2008 at Mirvac's Ayre three-bedroom, two-bathroom townhouses were for sale starting from $335,000. House-and-land packages in Mirvac's Ayre started from about $357,000 in 2012. 
Lots of land have been selling at around $200,000 plus since the first Spring Farm estate was opened in 2007 off Richardson Road.
<a target="_blank" href="/news">Arncliffe</a> and <a target="_blank" href="/news">Waterloo</a> were the most established suburbs in the top 20 postcode recipient list.
<a target="_blank" href="/news">Woollongong</a>, with $2.1 million in grants, rounded out the list.
The top 20 postcodes securing around $71 million of the total funding which is a mix of the grant and stamp duty concessions.
There were around 9,500 recipients who secured the mix of grants.
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Source: NSW Office of State Revenue statistics
news@propertyobserver.com.au
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Just $200 million in NSW first home grants last year

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The former AC/DC bass guitarist Mark Evans secured $1.32 million when 12 Starling Street, Lilyfield sold through Simon Pilcher of Pilcher Residential at auction this morning. Nothing dirt cheap.
It was a three-bedroom weatherboard workers cottage...marketed with a signed new guitar to be thrown in.
It was auctioned by James Hayashi of Cooley Auctions. It was knocked down to a couple with two year old children, which mimiced the Evans family circumstance when they secured the cottage in 1998.
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The former AC/DC bass guitarist Mark Evans headlined Sydney's weekend auctions as the February early bird vendors hope to catch the buyers in record numbers.
Mark Evans and his wife, Bille Amatnieks-Evans paid $426,000 in 1998. <a style="font-size: 14px;" href="https://www.pilcher-residential.com/4044198/12-Starling-Street-Lilyfield" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">12 Starling Street, Lilyfield</a> is a 272 square metre block, one of around 45 inner west auction offerings this weekend. They were hoping for $1.2 million plus on the three bedroom, two bathroom home, well above the suburb's current RP Data <a href="/news">$971,000 median house price</a>.
The property, close to the light rail, comes with attic dormer style master bedroom. 
The new owners will get a signed new electric guitar on settlement, although there was a ceremonial gifting this morning after the onsite auction. 
The bass guitarist was an early member of AC/DC from March 1975 to June 1977, playing on their albums T.N.T, High Voltage, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Let There Be Rock and '74 Jailbreak.
Evans subsequently played for numerous other groups, including Cheetah, Swanee and The Party with his autobiography, Dirty Deeds: My Life Inside/Outside of AC/DC released in 2011.
Last year Iva Davies, the former Icehouse frontman, sold his Lilyfield property for $961,000. Davies had been hoping for about $900,000 for the redundant Lilyfield house which sold through Mark Coleman, of Laing+Simmons Glebe. It cost $100,000 when bought by the then Artarmon-based musician in early 1982.
The Whale Beach-based Davies had rented out the two-bedroom house on Catherine Street since 2006, with the starting rental being around $465 a week. 
Next month the Hoodoo Gurus lead guitarist Brad Shepherd - who wrote the mid-1990s classic <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Open_My_Eyes" rel="nofollow">You Open My Eyes</a> - and his wife Sahara have their <a href="https://rwdbgroup.com/nsw/queens-park/1091901/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Rawson Avenue, Queens Park</a> home (pictured below) listed for March 1 auction <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/ac/dc-guitarist-s-lilyfield-offering-to-set-tone-for-the-inner-west-2014-auction-season/2014020667593">with $1.7 million plus hopes </a>through Ray White Double Bay's Annette Pollak and Kim Hayes.
Last year the former Divinyls guitarist Mark McEntee and his partner, the fashion designer Melanie Greensmith moved into the Spanish Mission block, Del Rio in Elizabeth Bay.
Greensmith, the founder of Wheels and Dollbaby, fell in love with the 1930s garden apartment, and made an offer to caterer and restaurateur Charles Wilkins, the day after she saw it through estate agent Jaime Upton. It sold for around $4.25 million.
The high-profile couple - and dogs, Fifi L’amour and Napoleon Bonaparte - divide their time between Perth and Sydney given Greensmith's 26-year old fashion house is on Crown Street, Surry Hills.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/devine-del-rio-elizabeth-bay-trophy-garden-apartment-sells-to-fashionista-melanie-greensmith/2013061462255">The 2009 Belle-featured apartment had been purchased in October 2001 for $1.96 million</a> and subsequently underwent $1.5 million worth of improvements overseen by designer Garth Barnett.
But Property Observer gathers there's been a quick makeover since its sale last June, all on show in the recent Vogue Living who describe it as a "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.vogue.com.au/vogue+living/interiors/galleries/antiques+and+rockabilly+the+home+of+wheels+dollbabys+melanie+greensmith,28401">every inch the rock star pad</a>."
 
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AC/DC house (and guitar) sells for $1.32 million in high voltage Lilyfield auction

Palm Beach v Portsea: Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok offer 30-plus insights

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Leading agent John McGrath has forecasted that the strongest east coast market over the next three years was likely to be south-east Queensland. 
"The market I am really excited about is south-east Queensland," <a href="https://www.switzer.com.au/the-experts/john-mcgrath-property-expert" target="_blank">he recently blogged</a> on Switzer.
"Prices in Brisbane and the Gold Coast are still below pre-GFC levels, while Sydney is about 10% above now, so there is a greater likelihood of better capital growth in the sunshine state over the next few years."  McGrath maintains the median house price in Brisbane is so much cheaper than Sydney and eventually people are going to start taking advantage of that, either by moving there or investing there.
Currently, the median house price in Brisbane is $470,000 whereas Sydney is $775,000. Brisbane’s median apartment price is $383,000 compared to $557,000 in Sydney.  McGrath says there were some promising indications in 2013, with Brisbane house prices up 5.3% and apartment prices up 3.5%.
RP Data also provides joint Brisbane-Gold Coast data showing a 4.9% growth in house prices and 2% in apartments. 
McGrath says a "phenomenal spring season" in Sydney last year, I was expecting another good year for Sydney," but the strongest market over the next three years is likely to be south-east Queensland. 
"In short, we ain’t seen nothing yet! We’re just at the beginning of the recovery." McGrath suggests of south-east Queensland.
My strong caveat is that houses will be a safer bet in Brisbane and especially so on the Gold Coast. 
<a href="mailto:news@propertyosberver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyosberver.com.au</a>
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John McGrath suggests Brisbane offers better price growth prospects than even Sydney

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Dan Reilly and Dani Wales are selling a one-bedroom Ark, Richmond apartment they moved into while debuting on The Block in 2012.
The reality TV celebrity couple - with the twitter handle @DaniandDan - have it listed through <a href="https://www.hockingstuart.com.au/UNIT_114_253_BRIDGE_ROAD_RICHMOND_VIC_3121" target="_blank">Justine Harris of Hocking Stuart</a> with a $439,000 asking price. They paid $420,000 off the plan in late 2010, settling in late 2011, just before they moved into the derelict Cameron Street, Richmond Block set.
Designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects, the 114/253 Bridge Road apartment has open-plan living and dining along with an outdoor entertaining area.
The communal facilities include a 30-seat private cinema and gym. <a href="https://theinteriorsaddict.com/dan-and-dani-sell-first-property-since-the-block" target="_blank">The interiorsaddict website</a> says its an immaculate home after the work by the couple.
The current Richmond median unit price is around $522,500, up 3% over the past year. <a target="_blank" href="/news">There was a $525,000 median peak in 2011</a>.
In 2009 the then off the plan marketing had one-bedroom apartments prices starting at $385,000, two bedrooms at $530,000, three bedrooms at $805,000, and double-storey penthouses at $1.1 million. The main penthouse fetched $2.1 million in 2009.
The apartments started from 43 square metres in the 10-storey residential development, comprising 175 apartments.
At the time, Charter Keck Cramer's Sam Nathan pinpointed Richmond as an area set to go through a significant boom in apartment construction.
Sam Nathan, the director of residential projects at Charter Keck Cramer, estimated then that the suburb, which had seen around 1000 new apartments built in the nine years to 2009, could have another 2,000 to 2,500 apartments constructed over the next four years, ie by 2013. Previously, Richmond was characterised by apartment projects of no more than 20 or 30 units.
Dani Wales runs the recently revamped online magazine <a target="_blank" href="https://thehome-journal.com">The Home Journal</a>.
Dan Reilly works as a carpenter while studying to be a builder.
They bought a 114-year-old property in Seddon <a href="/news">in May last year</a> which needs renovating. It was secured for around $460,000 which was less than its previous $480,000 purchase in 2009.
It was marketed as "bare bones and potential."
The double front Victorian home  had been gutted under Maribyrnong Council approved plans and permits.
It had been brought back to bare frame, with the original timber floorboard still remaining, and the back has been removed.
"Once you're done, it will be a three bedroom, two bathroom home with open plan kitchen, dining and living with french doors accessing expansive entertainers deck," the marketing by hockingstuart agent Adam Welling said.
news@propertyobserver.com.au
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The Block's Dan and Dani list redundant Richmond flat

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The former artistic director of the Australian Dance Theatre, Meryl Tankard has listed her two storey Bondi penthouse.
The apartment is one of those rarities in Sydney with harbour and ocean views.
It comes with 460 square metres of space.
It has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, three car spaces, plus rooftop terrace.
There are two expansive terraces with outlook of both ocean and harbour.
The long-acclaimed dancer and choreographer bought the Penkivil Street pad in August 2007 for $1.732 million.
It is listed through <a href="https://www.ppdre.com.au/buying/NSW/Eastern-Suburbs/Bondi/Apartment/1P0302" target="_blank">Alexander Phillips of Phillips Pantzer Donnelley </a>for February 24 auction who told Property Observer it comes with $2 million plus hopes.
It is in a recently upgraded security building of 12 with inground pool.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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Choreographer Meryl Tankard lists two storey Bondi penthouse

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The former AC/DC bass guitarist Mark Evans headlines Sydney's weekend auctions as the February early bird vendors hope to catch the buyers in record numbers.
The <a href="https://www.pilcher-residential.com/4044198/12-Starling-Street-Lilyfield" target="_blank">12 Starling Street, Lilyfield</a> house, listed through Simon Pilcher of Pilcher Residential, is a three-bedroom workers cottage. Six contracts have been issued with $1.2 million plus hopes.
Mark Evans and his wife, Bille Amatnieks-Evans paid $426,000 in 1998. It's on a 272 square metre block, one of around 45 inner west auction offerings.
Property Observer gathers the new owners on auction day will also get a signed electric guitar. The bass guitarist who was an early member of AC/DC from March 1975 to June 1977, playing on their albums T.N.T, High Voltage, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Let There Be Rock and '74 Jailbreak. Evans subsequently played for numerous other groups, including Cheetah, Swanee and The Party with his autobiography, Dirty Deeds: My Life Inside/Outside of AC/DC released in 2011.
Next month the Hoodoo Gurus lead guitarist Brad Shepherd - who wrote the mid-1990s classic <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Open_My_Eyes">You Open My Eyes</a> - and his wife Sahara have their <a href="https://rwdbgroup.com/nsw/queens-park/1091901/" target="_blank">Rawson Avenue, Queens Park</a> home (pictured below) listed for March 1 auction with $1.7 million plus hopes through Ray White Double Bay's Annette Pollak and Kim Hayes.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/02/07/que]}
There were just the 90 odd auctions last weekend, when Australian Property Monitors reported an 80% success rate, and this weekend the number jumps to 290.
On February 15 APM expects 460 plus and some 730 on February 22, which takes the month's listing to 50% or so higher than February 2013. The 730 in a fortnight is understoof to represents a record for any same day February offering.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/02/07/mos]}
The Saturday auctions also include 2/9a Parriwi Road, Mosman (pictured above), up for <a href="https://www.belleproperty.com/2P5702" target="_blank">auction with </a><a href="https://www.belleproperty.com/2P5702" target="_blank">$1.4 million plus hopes</a> through Belle Property agent Tim Foote. The three bedroom, two bathroom house is within an 1890s house- renovated 1995  duplex - built for the Sydney jeweller Percy Marks. It features leadlight doors and windows, a beautifully maintained original fireplace, polished timber floors, picture rails and decorative cornices. 
It last sold at $790,000 in 1997. Upstairs sold in 2003 at $1.75 million.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/02/07/bell]}
There's a modern townhouse at <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/apartment-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023/200178/?searchID=36271251" target="_blank">1/2 Banksia Road Bellevue Hill</a> (pictured above) which sold pre-auction for $1.42 million having been listed with $1.25 million plus hopes. The townhouse is in a block of four. Some 50 plus groups inspected so the agent Bernatette Berlyn at McGrath took the pre-auction offer.
February is going to be a bumper month.
And if you still hanker for the coastal escape........there's four <a href="/news">Mollymook</a> offerings this weekend including a Mitchell Parade beachfront, another at <a href="/news">Dolphin Point</a>, <a href="/news">Culburra Beach</a>, <a href="/news">Ulladulla</a>, <a href="/news">Kings Point</a>, <a href="/news">Bawley Point</a> or <a href="/news">Mossy Point</a> on the South Coast.
Or up near Byron, one of the oldest homes at <a href="/news">Alstonville</a> with a nearby fig tree older than the 110 year old house, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.eldersrealestate.com.au/office/alstonville/residential/buy/property-house-nsw-alstonville-565464">Bonnie Doon</a> (pictured below) goes to weekend auction. It a two acre property.
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<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
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AC/DC guitarist's Lilyfield offering to set tone for the inner west 2014 auction season

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Estate agent David Wood from the Albert Park hockingstuart office has announced his agency will be working with Chantelle and Steve in the auction countdown on this year's The Block Fans vs Faves series.
David Wood tweeted the appointment to sell the apartmedmt. Property Observer gleans Kendall Bares will be the estate agent handling the listing with the agency office.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
We're extremely excited to announce that we'll be working with Chantelle &amp; Steve from The Block 'Fans vs faves' 2014! <a href="https://t.co/DmDwIKurFF" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/DmDwIKurFF</a>
— david wood (@DavidWoodHS) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/DavidWoodHS/statuses/430953428227874816" target="_blank">February 5, 2014</a>
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David Wood sold Trixie and Johnno’s apartment in last year’s Sky High series – the penthouse of the building at 142 Park Street which ended up placed second in the adjusted reserve price competition after fetching $1.605 million.
Buxton Albert Park's Karl Gillon is also to return representing the Favourites team of Brad and Dale in their loft apartment marketing.
The winners of the Sky High series, the Adelaide twins Alisa and Lysandra engaged CBD agents, Anton Wongtrakun and Rochelle Wilson from the CBD agents, Dingle Partners, and no surprise they have gone with the agency again.
Property Observer understands the only apartment with a new agency is that of Kyal and Kara at 2/47 O’Grady Street which will be marketed by Warwick Gardiner at Greg Hocking Real Estate.
 
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
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Agents back at The Block: Hockingstuart set to sell in The Block Albert Park

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Following an application by ASIC, the Federal Court in Adelaide yesterday froze all assets owned or otherwise held by the founder of the Charterhill group of companies, George Nowak, and his wife, Betty Nowak.
The court also ordered the surrender of Mr and Mrs Nowak's passports and restrained their travel out of Australia, as ASIC investigates the collapse of the Charterhill group, which specialises in assisting clients to invest in property through self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs).
Nearly $6 million of super invested in self-managed super funds are at risk, after Charterhill Group’s Nova Real Estate Proprietary Limited was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/almost-140-property-investors-smsf-funds-at-risk-as-nova-real-estate-put-in-voluntary-administration/2014020267476">placed in voluntary administration</a>.
Last Friday, George Nowak sent out an email on behalf of the entire Charterhill Group of Companies, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/investor-update-charterhill-issues-clients-apology-after-closure/2014020367508">apologising for the lateness of communications</a> after the "shock closure". ASIC's application was brought under section 1323 of the Corporations Act 2001 and followed steps taken by ASIC last week to secure Mr Nowak's passport by agreement and to obtain an undertaking from him that he would not dispose of or otherwise deal with any assets. The following companies in the Charterhill Group have been placed under external control:
<ul type="disc">
<li>Lending Solutions International Pty Ltd – liquidators appointed (Andrew Heard and Anthony Phillips of Heard Phillips)</li>
<li>Nova Real Estate Pty Ltd – external administrators appointed (Andrew Heard and Anthony Phillips of Heard Phillips)</li>
<li>EJ Property Developments Pty Ltd – receivers and managers appointed (Michael Basedow and Leigh Prior of Pitcher Partners)</li>
<li>Financial Wellness Pty Ltd – receivers and managers appointed (Michael Basedow and Leigh Prior of Pitcher Partners).</li>
</ul>
 ASIC is investigating the management and activities of the Charterhill group, which operated as a 'one-stop shop', providing advice to clients on the establishment of SMFS, rollover of existing superannuation funds into an SMSF, sourcing and purchase of investment properties, property management, insurance and taxation.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
 
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Federal Court freezes assets of Charterhill's George Nowak

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Apparently the property market is like popcorn popping - different markets bursting at different times.
Forecaster Harry Dent sees real estate in coastal cities all around the world as greatly overvalued.
"I see it like a popcorn popper, different markets are bursting at different times … but all of real estate in coastal cities all around the world is greatly overvalued and they're all going to burst whether it be 30% or 40% ... or 90% in the worst case," Mr Dent told News Ltd papers which labelled him as a widely respected columnist.
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Stand by for Melbourne to be the hardest hit, a bubble that will burst and wipe out up to half the value of property.
Harry Dent actually reckons "Melbourne has been, actually, the biggest bubble in recent years and I would expect the biggest burst there."
"In Australia obviously the bigger bubbles are in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth because they had the greatest growth and the greatest limitations in supply - but not quite as much in Adelaide and other cities."
The bubble would burst after a crash in the stock market and would be linked to an anticipated crash in the Chinese property market, Mr Dent, who headlines a <a href="https://secureyourfuture.com.au" target="_blank">Secure the Future event</a> in Sydney and Brisbane later this month, said.
The event also has Mark Bouris as a headline act. In late 2011 when Harry Dent made his last over the top Australian forecast, the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/mark-bouris-tackles-harry-dent-s-bearish-claims-christopher-joye/2011101951989" target="_blank">Yellow Brick Road chairman Mark Bouris took on</a> the US doomsayer's <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/us-economist-predicts-australian-housing-crash/2011081551170" target="_blank">then bearish claims that Australian property was going to crash</a>.
Mr Dent has now predicted the economic and real estate bubble in China will burst in the next couple of years, and Australia would be hit hard as a consequence.
"The China bubble is going to burst, starting around next year, and it is going to be the biggest bubble to burst. It is the greatest bubble, the most government driven, the most extreme in valuations," he said.
"Australia is the best country to weather this downturn and take advantage of the next boom.
"But this China bubble is going to back up on resource and commodity markets and it's going to hit Australia hard and I think it's going to cause your real estate to get hit and finally burst.
"I see real estate going down 60 to 65% in the US, it's probably more like 30 to 50% in Australia, but that's still enough for you to say: Hey why would you go buying real estate?"
"So why would you want to own real estate unless you're going to live in it forever or it's very important to your business."
Harry Dent's longheld views have been comprehensively challenged by most local commentators.
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Property crash is like popping popcorn, especially in Melbourne: Harry Dent

<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] 
&nbsp; 
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. 
&nbsp; 
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. 
&nbsp; 
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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=366267]

The architecture draws on Kew's established character through the use of handmade Krause bricks, while landscaping by John Patrick introduces 23 plant species, including nine native varieties, creating an environment which focuses just as much on nature as it does the building.

Construction on Wimba Ave is well underway by renowned high-end builder Sinjen, with completion expected in late 2027. Prices start from $2.22 million.

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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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367468]

Beyond the internal amenity, AURA introduces a series of Japanese-inspired gardens that form a quieter counterpoint to the tower’s social spaces.

Landscaped retreats feature curated outdoor dining, tranquil courtyard seating, fire pit, and a tea house pavilion. Rather than functioning as simple recreational areas, the gardens have been designed as places for reflection and informal gathering, drawing on principles of balance, nature, and calm that underpin the project's broader design philosophy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367810]

The social amenity continues to evolve as residents move higher through the building. Levels 49 and 50 house the Meridian Club, where a lounge bar, conservatory spaces, and private dining rooms take advantage of elevated city views. At the summit of the tower, the exclusive Cumulus Club spans Levels 66 and 67, offering additional lounges, private dining, and meditation and treatment rooms positioned above Melbourne’s skyline.

For OSK Property, the extensive amenity offering reflects a broader focus on wellbeing as a core component of apartment living rather than an added feature.

“Aura stands tall as an exemplar of holistic wellness – its focus on social, physical and mental health culminate in a building that is calming, restorative and relaxing, where residents will have their own sanctuary within the well-connected and sought-after Southbank,” says OSK Property CEO Chong Boon Woon.

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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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