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With its telling third bedroom, Phil and Amity have won The Block 2013 All Stars series with their Bondi cottage selling for $1.67 million. It was $295,000 over its conservative reserve price, highlighting Sydney's Autumn auction strength that has seen clearance rates at 70% or above for the past four weeks.
While Sydney clearance rates have been strong, and 100% at the Tasman Street for the Block, prices at The Block 2013 actually ranged from ordinary to exuberant. 
The conservative reserve prices were well below cost, following a pragmatic decision implemented after its disastrous 2011 Richmond three out of four fail to sell auction experience, to align with the viewing public's expectations of a drama packed end of series finale.
The two top Block 2013 auction prices reflected an exuberant tone, which while roughly matching the renovation costs, have placed the cottages at well above the suburb's cottage median which could possibly present issues for capital growth down the track. 
With agents understanding that getting prices that match outlay has been a problem for many reno-happy vendors across Sydney since the global financial crisis, their initial auction price estimates started at a cautious $1.4 million plus, with $1.5 million plus being suggested as marketing got underway.
There was a neighbouring mostly unrenovated cottage that fetched $1.32 million in late 2011, and another totally unrenovated for $1.29 million, giving the buying public some insight into the value of the similiar cottages requiring the costly ambitious renovations which the contestants undertook.
Originally Property Observer estimated the overall purchase price had been about $4.4 million, i.e. about $1.1 million each, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/the-block-/bondi-the-block-all-stars-buyers-blindsided-by-purchase-price-secrecy" target="_blank">but later revised the likely price higher to $5.2 million, i.e. $1.32 million each.</a>
And then followed the costly rebuild renovation which came with a conservative Waverley Council approved $800,000 development application, plus the contestant couples expenditure on their renovations and styling.
Prices on the night ranged between $1.37 million and $1.67 million, a 20% price difference which suggests rip out that quirky bathroom sculpture and those buyers have done the best buying by far.
Bizarrely Mark and Duncan's BresicWhitney selling agent Seaton Jones had the greatest personal aswell as professional stake in the high profile results as he had spent $1.29 million in late 2011 for his own unrenovated cottage just three doors away from the cheapest sale of the night. Its currently undergoing its own renovation having been utilised by the Block as the Mitre 10 storage space.
Without car parking and views, many observers believed the result would come down to the two contestant couples on The Block All Stars who built designated third bedrooms while the remaining two contestant couples stuck with the two-bedroom plan and offered a study.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/the-block-/three-bedders-versus-two-bedders-set-the-block-all-stars-auction-battle-scenario" target="_blank">The contestants Phil and Amity along with Mark and Duncan  had the three bedroom options</a> which were deemed a wise renovation decision.
Phil and Amity who appeared in the initial 2003 series at Bondi Beach taking home a $60,000 profit despite coming last, have suggested their third bedroom could boost the selling price by $100,000. They said the mezzanine was worth an extra $50,000. <a href="https://www.1stcity.com.au/Sales-Detail.aspx?id=HCES280&amp;wlid=b059dba1-f68f-41c9-a078-0e6e7e4922ed" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">They had 12 Tasman Street</a> listed through <a href="https://www.1stcity.com.au/Sales-Detail.aspx?id=HCES280&amp;wlid=b059dba1-f68f-41c9-a078-0e6e7e4922ed" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">1st City - Hasemer + Caldwell.Eyles</a>, even sounding out the agents at the earliest point for the best renovation advice for likely buyers.
The Finders Keepers buyers agency suggested the reserve prices were in line with Bondi medians for three bedroom houses but well above those for two bedders.
<a href="https://www.finderskeepers.com.au" target="_blank">Finders Keepers</a> suggested the $1.65 million for a two bedroom semi away from the beach would be a record for Bondi.
They tweeted "Great result for <a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23theblock&amp;src=hash" style="color: #0084b4; text-decoration: none; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" data-query-source="hashtag_click"><s style="text-decoration: none; color: #66b5d2;">#</s>theblock</a> and those contestants but let's hope the buyers aren't trying to resell anytime soon." RP Data shows Bondi's <a href="/news">median house price is currently $1,387,000</a>.
 
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The most eclectic house of Mark and Duncan had a $1.345 million reserve with the cottage auction the second to be aired selling for $1.37 million, just $25,000 over reserve.
Dan and Dani, whose auction was aired third, had a $1.355 million reserve selling for $1,575,000, reflecting $220,000 over the reserve.
Josh and Jenna had a $1.375 million reserve in the first aired auction selling for $1.65 million, some $275,000 above reserve.
For Kildrummie, Phil and Amity had a $1.375 million reserve with Damien Cooley from Cooley Auctions securing $1.67 million, some $295,000 over reserve. It was sold through Brad Caldwell-Eyles and Julian Hasemer at 1st City Real Estate.
Overcoming neighbourhood objections, filming production began last October with the auction signs up out front of the four The Block All Stars cottage offerings around mid-February. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/scott-cam-reduces-rosebery-rental-to-%242900-a-week/2013010958710" target="_blank">It was hosted by Scott Cam who was going through his own property decisions</a>.
The four couples to star in  The Block: All Stars season hark back to Adelaide's Phil and Amity (2003), then Sydney's Mark and Duncan (2010), Melbourne's Josh and Jenna (2011), and Melbourne's Dan and Dani (2012).
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2012/10/allstars.jpg" style="max-width: 480px;">
 
The couples enovated four run-down cottages at 6-12 Tasman Street, Bondi – a few kilometres from the near beachside location of  the first season at 67 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach almost 10 years ago. Its location is a little more suburban than beachy.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2012/10/blockmap2.jpg" width="470" style="max-width: 480px;">
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/its-back-to-bondi-for-the-block-home-renovation-realty-series-after-they-sell-south-melbourne/2012033054098" target="_blank">four semi-detached cottages were bought by the television production company</a> in November 2011 at an undisclosed price.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/the-blocks-return-to-bondi-scheduled-for-early-2013-as-development-application-caught-up-in-heritage-red-tape/2012062555107" target="_blank">Red tape</a> that didn't exist during the first series – such as filming permission – delayed the application approval. which was initially lodged in February 2012.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2012/10/blocktasman.jpg" width="470" style="max-width: 480px;">
Permission was obtained from Waverley Council last September.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/stories/2012/10/bondiblock.jpg" width="470" style="max-width: 480px;">
Nine is expected to announce a second season with new contestant couples to air in later in 2013, in a South Melbourne location.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

 Phil and Amity win The Block 2013 All Stars auction with $1.67 million Bondi cottage sale with Sydney buyers ranging between cautious and exuberant

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Late Tuesday morning Property Observer tweeted that intending buyers were in the dark on the price initially paid for the four Bondi cottages before their renovation on the reality television series.
<img alt="blockmarch20one" height="64" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/blockmarch20one.jpg">
In the early afternoon, the auctioneer Damien Cooley says he is wearing a new suit and adds:
<img alt="blockmarch20two" height="84" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/blockmarch20two.jpg">
Property reporter Kirsten Craze was actually there on Tasman Street. She promotes herself as News Ltd property writer "covering every nook and cranny" of Sydney real estate, but the best she could do was post two Instagram photos of the auction crowd.
<img alt="blockmarch20three" height="83" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/blockmarch20three.jpg">
The Block design judge Shaynna Blaze suggested around 8pm that staying off Twitter was the best way to avoid getting any auction leak. Not that she knew any of the results.
<img alt="blockmarch20four" height="87" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/blockmarch20four.jpg">
Just after 10pm the television commentator Steve Molks suggested he knew the result but wasn't telling.
<img alt="blockmarch20five" height="69" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/blockmarch20five.jpg">
At 11.55pm The SMH and The Age post an AAP story under the wily headline: White is a winner: The Block's Josh and Jenna. It was a piece written before the day's auctions. "Newlyweds Josh and Jenna will have succeeded on The Block: All Stars even if their house is again passed-in at auction," it suggested. The winning white was their preferred paint colour.
Dead on midnight Kirsten Craze uploaded <a target="_blank" href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/realestate/the-last-hammer-falls-on-the-block/story-fnczi4hc-1226601024165">her article</a> that took readers not much further than her nondescript earlier tweet.
"Held at each of the renovated-for-TV heritage houses in Tasman St, the individual auctions drew a crowd of curious invited guests and a number of serious bidders - all sworn to secrecy by Channel 9.
"Several hours of carefully orchestrated auctioneering, interviews and on-camera reactions from the contestants will be edited down to a two-hour TV package to air tonight at 7pm." The Tele should have sent a television critic.
At 12.30 an unofficial Block devotee tweeted on the auction's apparent closeness.
<img alt="blockmarch20six" height="86" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/blockmarch20six.jpg">
Long after the auction, indeed at 1.30am, the estate agent responsible for Phil and Amity's renovation and marketing advice, Brad Caldwell-Eyles at 1st City Real Estate tweeted in acknowledgement that the couple had scored the best cumulatively throughout the room reveals.
<img alt="blockmarch20seven" height="102" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/blockmarch20seven.jpg">
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So super close or super tight, the secret held over night, despite the supposed purpose of social media being  information in real time with reaction.
Granted no one likes a spoiler - and Title Tattle has in past series advised only on the overall clearance rate rather than identify the winner contestants.
Not being there this time, however, Title Tattle notes, as if to show how transitory the reality show really is, that last year's winner Brad and Lara, who've appeared in extensive motor vehicle advertising during the latest series, were miles away themselves.
And indeed with not so much as a good luck tweet to the latest contestants as they got into their Longhorns Nachos after a bit of skiing at Whistler. Nice for some! Of course, there was, no doubt, a little left for their new lifestyle after <a href="/news">their 6,000 winners' take</a> from last year after which they bought a 27-hectare Hunter Valley farm.
<img alt="blockmarch20eight" height="85" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/blockmarch20eight.jpg">
The betting agency Sportsbet had Adelaide mum and dad team Phil and Amity as odds-on favourites at $1.50 to win the series - a vast improvement from when they were the least favourite couple at about $5.50 on the February launch.
Of course, the bookies got it wrong last year, <a target="_blank" href="/news">but they don't often</a>.
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Social media and old media in lockstep to keep mum on The Block All Stars auction winner: Title Tattle

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We live in the Information Age and also one of reality television entertainment.
And when the two worlds meet, there's possibly no obligation for full and frank disclosure.
But surely, when it's intended for four buyers to tonight spend $1.5 million-plus on a Bondi cottage, there is.
Sadly, when it comes to the original price paid for the four cottages in the current series of The Block All Stars, it has all been kept under wraps.
It's thereby a problem for prospective buyers seeking to ascertain the starting price point for their auction bidding.
The four cottages from 6 to 12 Tasman Street, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Bondi</a>, were sold in one line with the producers of the program using a little-used loophole to keep their purchase price secret from public eyes.
The loophole undermines the torrens title land registration system, which is based on transparency. The details collected provide same street, same suburb and even national knowledge that allows specific or cumulative insights for everyone from the neighbours to the Reserve Bank of Australia.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/theblockmarch15one.jpg" width="470" height="317" alt="theblockmarch15one"> 
Property Observer estimated the original price was about $4.4 million, i.e. about $1.1 million each. But Property Observer later revised the likely sale price higher to $5.2 million, i.e. $1.32 million each. 
All the semis between 2 and 12 Tasman Street are described on the heritage site as an "outstanding row of early 20th Century semi-detached. Unusual to find such an intact row in this area. The buildings also have special interest for their detailing. Local significance. circa 1915."
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/the-blocks-return-to-bondi-scheduled-for-early-2013-as-development-application-caught-up-in-heritage-red-tape/2012062555107">The cost of the development application works is put at $800,000 plus</a>.
Another price guide has since become available from two very similiar cottages in the same row that sold in late 2011.
There was a cottage at 2 Tasman Street (pictured below), which sold at $1.32 million in September 2011 after some renovations.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/theblockmarch15two.jpg" width="470" height="374" alt="theblockmarch15two">
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/2tasmanmarch19one.jpg" width="470" height="351" alt="2tasmanmarch19one">
There was also a cottage at 4 Tasman Street (pictured below), which sold in November 2011 at $1.29 million unrenovated.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/4tasmanmarch19one.jpg" width="470" height="350" alt="4tasmanmarch19one">
It's owned by estate agent Seaton Jones who's marketing the cottage of the tradesmen contestants, Mark and Duncan.
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Bondi The Block All Stars buyers blindsided by purchase price secrecy

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Some 65.9% of all house and unit sales in 2012 were within capital cities, with the number of houses and units sold in capital cities last year dropping to 256,559.
It was the lowest level of transactions for established properties since 1996, according to RP Data analyst Cameron Kusher.
There was a slight bounce back in sales activity in the second half of the year, in which sales were 7.6% higher than the first, with Kusher saying the increase in activity reflected the delayed impact of mortgage rate cuts over the past 12-18 months and <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/economy/consumer-confidence-continues-to-rise-with-time-to-buy-a-dwelling-confidence-also-high-westpac-index/2013031359843" target="_blank">improving consumer sentiment.</a>
He noted it had been mirrored in the increase in capital city home values from June 2012 onwards.
"A stable interest rate environment and a sustainable improvement in consumer sentiment would increase the likelihood of further increases in buyer demand throughout 2013," Kusher said.
Sales activity rose in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Brisbane</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Perth</a> and Darwin, pointing to stronger housing markets in those cities in 2013. In Perth, the number of sales jumped by 25%.
<a target="_blank" href="/news">Sydney</a>, which accounted for 27% of all Australian house sales, recorded a 12% decline in sales, while in Melbourne the decline was 5%.
Kusher said the figures did not include the sale of off-the-plan apartments that have not been settled.
Some 72.4% of all sales in 2012 were for houses.
Across Australia there were 389,069 house and unit sales over the year according to RP Data estimates.
Nationally, sales were 0.3% lower than in 2011, and 13.7% lower than the five-year average level.
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"Nationally, annual sales volumes have not been this low since 1996," he said.
Sales transactions have increased over the past year in Brisbane, Perth and Darwin.
But in Sydney, annual sales volumes haven’t been this low since 2005, in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Melbourne</a>, <a target="_blank" href="/news">Adelaide</a> and <a target="_blank" href="/news">Canberra</a> sales transactions haven’t been this low since 1996 and the last time Hobart sales were lower was in 1988.
"While transaction activity remains at such low levels it does not bode well for any significant increase in home values," Mr Kusher said.
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National residential sales activity the lowest since 1996, or in Hobart since 1988

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A Bay Street, Brighton house was Melbourne's highest weekend auction sale.
The $4.85 million sale through Buxton came after two bidders in a weekend when the REIV reported a 69% auction success rate.
Recent <a target="_blank" href="/news">Brighton</a> private treaty results have included a quiet one in Blairgorwie Court, Brighton which has been on the market for some time.
The buyers agent Mal James suggests it was sold for over $6 million through Jonathan Dixon of JP Dixon.
It was sold by the mining executive Peter Reeve and his wife Anne.
Mr Reeve, an executive director at Havilah Resources, put the 1920s-era house on 2700 square metres with a pool and tennis court,with initial $7.5 million hopes.
The Reeves had paid a reported $7.05 million at the peak of the market.
Brighton was in the news last week with still unconfirmed reports that a St Ninians Road property was bought by the retired Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting for about $10 million.
And another private treat sale was 17 Albert Street, Brighton that has been sold for just over $4 million through Ian Jackson having previously sold in April 2010 for $3.9 million.
The weekend Melbourne clearance rate of 69% was compared to 61% last weekend and 58% this weekend last year.
There were 804 auctions reported to the REIV this weekend, with 557 selling and 247 being passed in, 134 of those on a vendor bid.
"This year there has been an increase in the overall value of residential sales at auction with $1.8 billion worth of homes having sold compared to $1.5 billion this time last year," Enzo Raimondo, the REIV chief said.
"The value of private sales is also estimated to have risen from $3.9 billion to $4.5 billion."
Next weekend the REIV expects around 1,210 auctions and this is likely to be the 5th biggest weekend on record.
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Bay Street, Brighton $4.85 million weekend top seller adds to the $1.8 billion 2013 Melbourne auction sales tally

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The New South Wales Government has ambitious plans to supply 172,000 new homes across greater Sydney as current forecasts suggest that more than 1.3 million additional people will be living in Sydney by 2031, requiring 545,000 more homes.
Eight existing suburbs will be re-zoned to accommodate 30,000 extra new homes in high-density apartment blocks.
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The eight sites chosen in the initial round of the Urban Activation Precincts program are:
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Epping Town Centre (Hornsby Shire Council and Parramatta City Council)
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North Ryde Station (City of Ryde)
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Herring Road, Macquarie Park (City of Ryde)
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Randwick (Randwick City Council)
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Anzac Parade from Maroubra to Phillip Bay (Randwick City Council)
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Carter Street, Homebush (Auburn City Council)
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Wentworth Point (Auburn City Council)
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Mascot Station (Botany Bay Council)
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The plans for the Epping and North Ryde centres are already on public exhibition until 30 April, 2013, while planning work is beginning in the remaining precincts.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/sydneymarch18rydeone.jpg" width="470" height="329" alt="sydneymarch18rydeone">
Above: artist's impression of North Ryde Station post-revitilisation. Courtesy of NSW government.
The government has also released greenfield sites on the city's north-west and south-west outskirts to build new houses, business parks and town centres over the next 20 years.
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NSW minister for planning and infrastructure, Brad Hazzard, announced the impending rezoning of five precincts in the North West and South West Growth Centres to provide land for 30,250 homes and 29,000 jobs:
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Austral and Leppington North (17,350 homes and 13,000 jobs)
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Box Hill and Box Hill Industrial (9,600 homes and 16,000 jobs)
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East Leppington (3,300 homes)
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Planning will start soon on three additional growth centre precincts at Riverstone East, Vineyard and West Schofields for another 8,200 homes.
Premier Barry O'Farrell hopes <a target="_blank" href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=uTHQJ0cOZ8E%3d&amp;tabid=121&amp;language=en-US">the plan </a>will contribute towards meeting the city's future housing needs.
"It's about ensuring that areas open up as the infrastructure is available," he said. "It's about better balancing the needs of this city.
"Ultimately economics drives everything.
"Our argument is the more blocks of land we can release the greater downward pressure we can put on housing.
"It has been so high for so long because under the former government not enough housing was developed because not enough land was being released," he said.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/sydneymarch18eppingone.jpg" width="470" height="238" alt="sydneymarch18eppingone">
Above: artist's impression of Oxford St, Epping post-revitilisation. Courtesy of NSW government.
The announcement includes:
a) 27,400 new homes and 49,500 new jobs in centres around the eight new railway stations along the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/onexhibition">North West Rail Link</a>
<a href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/onexhibition"></a>b) 30,000 new homes across eight existing urban areas to be revitalised under the Government’s new <a target="_blank" href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/LinkClick.aspx?link=593&amp;tabid=121&amp;language=en-US">Urban Activation Precincts </a>(UAP) program
c) Rezoning land for 30,250 new homes and 29,000 jobs across five precincts in Sydney’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.growthcentres.nsw.gov.au/">Growth Centres </a>near the new North West and South West Rail Links (and releasing three other precincts with the potential for 8,200 homes)
d) Immediate action to progress seven outer suburban greenfield sites with potential for 15,850 homes in response to the Government’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/LinkClick.aspx?link=561&amp;tabid=121&amp;language=en-US">Potential Home Sites Program </a>and investigate 13 sites with potential for 60,000 homes.
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Barry O'Farrell's 172,000 Sydney housing boost proposal

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The owners of Victoria’s oldest homestead, Emu Bottom at Sunbury, are seeking long-term tenants for the heritage-listed Georgian cottage that sits on 24 hectares.
It was 1968 when Hedley Elliott and his wife Jan bought the property, which was then on the distant outskirts of Melbourne, for $120,000 from the Stringer family. They are the fifth owners of the homestead.
At the time they purchased the property it had been called Holly Green – a name given by Harry Webb since the early 1900’s as it was his dairy cattle stud name.
The homestead has also had other names, originally called Emu Bottom by George Evans but renamed Emu Vale shortly after his death by his wife.
It was for a time named Invargargyll when it was owned by a Brigadier General Clark.
After purchasing the property, one year was spent doing restoration work with the help and advice of architects, John and Phyll Murphy and in early 1970, Emu Bottom Homestead was opened as a tourist attraction by the governor of Victoria, Sir Rohan Delacombe, operating for the period of 1970 – 1975 with about 90,000 visitors anually.
Although Emu Bottom Homestead no longer operates as a tourist attraction, the property hosts corporate events.
The story of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.emubottom.com.au/about_emu_bottom/contact.htm">Emu Bottom Homestead </a>began on August 30, 1835, when the schooner Enterprise sailed up Port Phillip Bay, with George Evans on board. After exploring the area, he chose to settle 40kms from the city in 1836 where he built the handsome stone building now known as Emu Bottom Homestead.
The Elliotts hope to see a major company “take it to its next level” by taking out a lease for up to 40 years, The Australian Financial Review reported.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.prh.com.au/pol/property/search.asp?f_propertyID=1973831&amp;xsl=2146&amp;f_st=1&amp;f_ct=&amp;f_ps=2">Expressions of interest close April 30 through Peter Hawkins at Pat Rice &amp; Hawkins</a>.
George Evans named his homestead 'Emu Bottom' because he had settled in the low lying ground of the valley well frequented by large flocks of emus.
At this time there were 5000 sheep and well as other live stock grazing  on the large parcel of land on which George Evans had claimed as his 'run'.
Towards the end of the 1850s, Evans purchased the Royal Oak in Queen Street, Melbourne, when his spacious squattage was reduced in size to 640 acres. He became licensee of the hotel from 1861-1865 and he lived next door until his death in 1876.
The <a href="/news">Sunbury</a> property comes with a 1854 woolshed that was relocated in 1970 from a property called Runnymede owned by the Laidlaws at Sandford near Casterton in the Western District.
The homestead dining room was built as an addition to the homestead in 1989.
The slab hut came to this site in 1971 almost from Whroo, once a gold mine area.
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Emu Bottom, Sunbury seeks long-term corporate tenants

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Despite the improvement in conditions in the established housing market, the Reserve Bank of Australia has noted turnover of houses and units remains quite low.
"At least by comparison with most of the previous decade," Christopher Kent, the bank assistant governor (economy) said in an address to The Australian Institute of Building last night.
"It may be that the experience of that era is not the right comparison.
"Perhaps we shouldn't expect to see turnover sustained at those very high rates again.
"If that is right, it means that those who make a living from turnover – real estate agents being the most obvious example – are unlikely to see a return to the easier days of the first half of the previous decade," he said.
The peak turnover was around 2003-2004, the RP Data Rismark graphic suggests. RP Data has subsequently released information that shows sales volumes in 2012 were higher than 2011 in Brisbane, Perth and Darwin but lower elsewhere.
<p style="margin: 0px 0px -1em; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em; border: 0px; font-size: 1.8em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.3em; color: #404040; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;" class="graphCaption"> 
<p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em; border: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.3em; text-align: center !important; color: #404040; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="textAlignCenter"><a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: #404040;" title="Graph 3: National Housing Turnover Rate" target="_blank" href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2013/images/sp-ag-140313-graph3.gif"><img style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" height="320" width="374" alt="Graph 3: National Housing Turnover Rate" src="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2013/images/sp-ag-140313-graph3-small.gif"></a>
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Idle real estate agents possibly unlikely to see a return to busier days: RBA

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Bids for a portfolio of about 560 residential, development, industrial and rural mortgages from the failed rural lender Banksia are due later this month.
Bidders for the estimated $200 million portfolio are reported to include Bendigo Bank, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Macquarie Group, the Australian Financial Review noted.
The $650 million collapse of Banksia prompted the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) last month to release new guidelines.
The $4 billion debenture sector must now have a minimum capital requirement of 8% for certain debenture issuers that accept retail investments.
In February <a href="/news">Property Observer reported</a> the receivers of the failed Victorian debenture issuer and mortgage lender Banksia expect to make a “significant” second payment of between and 20 and 35 cents in the dollar to investors by June 30 if it can successfully realise a portfolio of 565 loans.
In addition, the receivers will also seek to sell freehold property owned by Banksia to raise additional funds to repay debenture holders.
A first distribution payment of 20 cents in the dollar was paid to investors on December 7 out of cash holdings, the first part of an estimated total repayment to debenture holders of between 50 and 65 cents in the dollar.
Banksia operated from 10 branches across Victoria and NSW with its head office in Kyabram.
The loans have a face value of $270 million and represent the best performing loans out of a total portfolio of around 1,000 loans, which have a total face value of $537 million.
A return of between 55 to 70 cents is expected for investors in a smaller Banksia-managed fund, Cherry Fund Limited, also in the hands of the receivers.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/industry-news/victorian-non-bank-lender-banksia-securities-collapses/2012102657456" target="_blank">Banksia collapsed in October</a> putting $660 million of small investor debenture funds at risk.
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Offers due by late March for loan book of failed Victorian mortgage lender Banksia 

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The arrival of the Chinese-based Greenland Group to Australian shores is an auspicious occasion.
The group will build Sydney's tallest residential high-rise on the former Water Board site after paying around $100 million to the loss-taking Canada-based Brookfield Asset Management with whom it will, in a face-saving arrangement, reportedly team up to assist in the development of the tower.
In a statement to Dow Jones, the Chinese group put the value of the residential and hotel project at $480 million $497 million.
The project, to be called Sydney Greenland Center.
The Bathurst Street site has stage-one development approval for 400 apartments over up to 70 levels reaching 240 metres high. In July last year Brookfield <a href="/news">unveiled the tallest residential tower plans at 240 metres</a>, beating off Meriton's 230-metre tall World Tower, which dates back to 2004. Any new tower such as the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kannfinch.com/#/projects/115-bathurst-street">current Kann Finch concept</a> (pictured below) will appear considerably taller as it is built further up a ridge than World Tower. There are five office towers that are taller than World Tower.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/03/kannfinchmarch15one.jpg" width="300" height="848" alt="kannfinchmarch15one">
The 115 Bathurst Street/339 Pitt Street mixed-use project is on a 4,000-square-metre site, with a retail and commercial podium, which incorporates the adaptive reuse of its eight-storey heritage listed 1930s Pitt Street building, but the demolition of the 1970s brutalist style office block.
“The healthy and stable property market in Australia has given big confidence to investors,” Zhang Yuliang, chairman of Shanghai Greenland, said in the statement.
“New immigrants, including those from China, have boosted property purchase demand in the country and we expect it to be sustainable.”
Greenland, which ranks 483rd in the 2012 Fortune Global 500 list, has earned a reputation for landmark buildings highlighted just this week when the group accepted coveted prizes for Breathing Tower (pictured below), a 75-storey building in Wujiang, China.
<img alt="tattlemarch15one" height="570" width="380" src="/images/stories/2013/03/tattlemarch15one.jpg">
It took the prize in the tall buildings category, along with the competition's overall future projects, in the eleventh annual MIPIM Architectural Review Future Project Awards competition. 
The Future Projects Awards is chaired by Paul Finch, editorial director of the <a href="https://www.architectural-review.com/" target="_blank">Architectural Review</a>, who noted the envisaged building highlighted the trend in favour of energy saving, low carbon buildings continues, and the exploration of different geometries made possible by digital design tools.
It was deemed the clear winner showing a "confident control of form" and  given its mix uses demonstrated skillful integration.
Addressing China's poor air quality issue, the Breathing Tower will have a series of operable windows either side of the upper storeys of the office, hotel and residential tower, which will open into an atrium which has a ventilation system. Skidmore, Owings &amp; Merrill were the architects, ofcourse of Burj Dubai world tallest notoriety.
Since 1992, the state-owned Shanghai based group - which has the corporate tenet of “Greenland, create better life” has positioned itself to be 87th among the top 500 China enterprises.
Its construction projects are in 65 cities in 24 provinces of China.
Among its 17 extra-high landmark buildings currently being developed, three are listed among Top 10 extra-high buildings across the world. Bathurst Street will be another, knocking off Harry Triguboff's World Tower.
As well as its leading position in real estate industry, Greenland Group develops energy, including owing several coal mines in Inner Mongolia, Shanxi and Guizhou.
We know the Chinese love their brands, and apparently the brand “Greenland” has been certified as “Chinese Famous Brand” by the State Bureau of Industrial and Commercial Administration. 
Greenland Group's stated aim is to enter the Fortune 200 list by 2015.
The MIPIM Architectural Review Future Project Awards celebrate un-built or incomplete design projects, and are intended to showcase fine architecture and creativity, and the response to the client development brief. The only Australian entrant - among the 186 projects from 46 countries - was Stamford on Macquarie for Stamford Property Services.
Photos courtesy of Architectural Review and Kann Finch.
For more on the allure of Australian property to Asian buyers, <a href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-australias-allure-for-asian-residential-property-investment" target="_blank">download our free eBook. </a>The eBook is also available for<a href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/australias-allure-for-asian-residential-property-investment-free-ebook" target="_blank"> free download in Chinese.</a> 
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Chinese breathing competitive life into Sydney high-rise scene

ASX-listed developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/stockland">Stockland</a>&nbsp;is continuing its push back into the new apartment market, filing plans for a prominent gateway site between Collingwood and East Melbourne.

The development giant, which moved back into the new apartment space when it announced Stanton Place in Sydney's Rosebery and have since filed plans for a 50-storey tower, are jumping into the off the plan Melbourne market.

They are hoping to create a mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/79-81-victoria-parade-collingwood-vic-3066">79-81 Victoria Parade</a>, replacing an existing commercial building with a scheme by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/john-wardle-architects">Wardle</a>&nbsp;for 478 apartments,&nbsp;ground-floor retail, new public open spaces and a publicly accessible pedestrian laneway.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="72dbbca9-3918-4073-afad-a0c0c35be8e7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%20pers.png?VersionId=bzMVUKKxvwuNK1m0v_td126Rgct32uk_" />

The design report identifies the public realm as a central driver of the proposal.

"Collingwood has limited access to high-quality parks and public open space, and the proposal delivers valuable new areas for respite, social interaction and fine-grain retail activity."

The development would deliver a diverse mix of housing, including studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments alongside townhouse-style residences. Two basement levels are proposed beneath the development, providing resident and retail parking as well as extensive bicycle facilities.

Wardle's design draws heavily on Collingwood's industrial character, using articulated building forms, brickwork and robust materials inspired by the suburb's warehouse and manufacturing heritage. The built form has been broken into a series of smaller volumes to better respond to the surrounding streetscape while extensive communal gardens, rooftop amenities and shared resident spaces are integrated throughout the project.

<img alt="First look: Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7b2135ed-65df-4253-ad53-f216f06bd467" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/stockland%20podium.png?VersionId=l1B6Hqn8zs772VxH6L1fDPg0KHshan9v" />

The planning documents describe the existing office building as offering little engagement with the public realm, with the redevelopment intended to create a more permeable and active neighbourhood destination.

"The proposed scheme presents a significant opportunity to deliver a vibrant retail plaza and a local neighbourhood hub serving both existing and future Collingwood residents."

The 79–81 Victoria Parade site occupies a strategic location about 1.5 kilometres east of Melbourne's CBD, at the threshold between Collingwood and East Melbourne. It is well served by tram services along Victoria Parade and sits within walking distance of St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy Gardens, the Fitzroy activity centre and a broad range of employment, retail and hospitality destinations.

Joel Robinson

Stockland plans new mixed-use neighbourhood precinct for Collingwood gateway site

An 1880s timber cottage that has survived Kangaroo Point's transformation from riverside suburb to high-density apartment precinct is set to become the centrepiece of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/zephyr">Zephyr Group</a>'s proposed Banksia development.

Rather than see the locally heritage-listed Alpha Cottage as an obstacle to navigate, plans integrate the landmark home into a new 18-storey residential tower, giving one of the suburb's oldest surviving residences a new role as the project's communal hub.

The development application covers a 1,177 sqm amalgamated site at 127-133 Lambert Street and 30 Shafston Avenue, where Zephyr Group plans to deliver 64 apartments above three basement levels. Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/joe-adsett-architects">Joe Adsett Architects</a>, the proposal carefully weaves the retained heritage cottage into a contemporary residential scheme, with the tower elevated above the historic building to preserve its presence within the Lambert Street streetscape.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f9dc5bdb-d691-4c60-bf2b-c3ed405a3e75" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Banksia.png?VersionId=Jh4bjlewU.o8HXWt0V4KaFA_lPcF7KWM" />

Named after the native Australian Banksia flower, the project draws inspiration from its distinctive form through curved balconies, sculpted planter boxes and cascading subtropical landscaping that soften the building's profile.

As the design report explains: "The tower's identity is defined by its feature facade, drawing direct inspiration from the Banksia wildflower. The building departs from traditional rigidity through the use of elegant, GRC-moulded planter boxes that appear as if shaped by the breeze."

Plans propose 64 apartments, comprising 32 two-bedroom and 32 three-bedroom residences, across an 18-storey tower. Residents would have access to rooftop amenities including a swimming pool, spa, gym, sauna, private cinema, dining spaces and landscaped recreation areas, while more than half the site is dedicated to planting and open space.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="16041b5f-033e-47fa-8fbe-9886e072c1f2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pool.png?VersionId=kpx5w4EbLx0_TdWfDoD1vrSs0_cZ5Ao1" />

The heritage component is the defining feature of the proposal. Constructed in the early 1880s and occupied from at least 1883, Alpha Cottage is recognised by Brisbane City Council as an important surviving example of Kangaroo Point's nineteenth-century residential development and as a representative transverse-gable timber cottage. Despite extensive redevelopment across the peninsula, the building has retained a high degree of its original form and internal fabric.

As part of the redevelopment, the cottage will be carefully relocated a short distance within its original allotment to facilitate construction before being returned to a prominent position along Lambert Street. Original verandah elements will be dismantled, catalogued and reinstated, while significant internal features, including timber flooring, wall linings, joinery, doors, windows and hardware, will be retained. Later additions, including the enclosed rear verandah, will be removed to better reveal the building's original form.

Once restored, Alpha Cottage will accommodate the building manager's office, mail room and parcel facilities, providing an active everyday use that supports its long-term conservation rather than preserving it as a static display. The heritage strategy also maintains landscaped space around the building, allowing it to remain visually distinct beneath the new tower.

<img alt="First look: Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="43b027e1-576e-4624-a66c-7cc54ea8b7be" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/banksia%20tower.png?VersionId=2W6E2yfkj2AQlWlLeV986grA5zB9f817" />

The Heritage Impact Assessment concludes that "the proposal secures the ongoing occupation, maintenance and conservation of Alpha Cottage," finding the development would result in "no more than a minor impact on the cultural heritage significance" of the building while ensuring its long-term future.

Joe Adsett Architects have designed the tower to sit above the heritage building rather than overwhelm it, creating a clear visual separation between old and new. The development's flowing balconies, integrated planting and organic façade respond to Brisbane's subtropical climate while complementing the restored cottage below.

Banksia occupies a prominent corner in Kangaroo Point within walking distance of the Kangaroo Point Bridge, Brisbane River, ferry services, QUT, the CBD and the Woolloongabba precinct. The site also benefits from direct access to active transport infrastructure and sits within an area earmarked for continued higher-density residential growth.

Zephyr Group's Banksia to wrap new Kangaroo Point tower around 1880s Alpha Cottage

Buying into a masterplanned community often means committing to a vision still years from taking shape. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>, that vision is already visible.

Residents have moved into the completed first stage, landscaped spaces are established, and the next chapter is now underway. Stage 1 has been completed and settled, with Stage 2 now selling off-the-plan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> combines attainable apartment living with sustainability initiatives rarely seen at this price point, including rooftop solar, battery storage and a resident EV-sharing program.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6RNt3AvtBpI?si=JUhuCV2ZRXsYaoJZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351027]

The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351031]

For Stage 1 resident Roji, it is the balance between convenience and comfort that has defined the experience of living at Kew.

"For me, it's a balance of quality and convenience," she says. "Everything I need is right here."

"If I wanted to catch the train, Scho​fields Station is just around the corner. Tallaw​ong Metro connects me to the city."

More importantly, she says, the development has delivered something that cannot be measured in floorplans or specifications.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> feels like home."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351024]

As Stage 2 enters the market, that lived experience may be one of the project's strongest selling points. Buyers are not purchasing into an untested concept or a future promise. They are joining a community that is already taking shape.

Ongoing investment in transport, retail, healthcare and public open space continues to strengthen the appeal of Syd​ney's north-west growth corridor, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>'s established first stage provides buyers with a tangible sense of the community's future direction.

For a limited time, buyer can secure a new home at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> with just a $10,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149637]

Kew Tallawong: A growing community taking shape in Sydney's north-west

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/freecity">Freecity</a> has received development approval for its 51-storey mixed-use tower at 153-157 Walker Street, North Sydney, set to be one of the tallest mixed-use residential-led buildings in one of Sydney’s most sought-after commercial and residential addresses.

Lodged as a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) through the Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) pathway and approved by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure following a comprehensive public exhibition and submissions process, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/153-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">the project</a> will deliver 296 apartments, alongside a 170-room, luxury hotel, activated retail and significant public domain improvements.

Situated just 200 metres from Victoria Cross Metro Station, on one of the largest developable sites in North Sydney, the development will rise to 234 metres, making it one of the tallest buildings in the suburb. With an end value of approximately $1.5 billion, the project responds directly to the NSW Government’s mandate to accelerate housing delivery in well-located, transit-connected areas.

<img alt="Freecity gets green light for mixed-use residential and hotel tower in North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="192ec455-94bf-4e01-83ef-922b1b269d67" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Freecity%20-%20Walker%20Street%20North%20Sydney%201%20RESIZED%20.jpg?VersionId=Bzqp0SBHCDvLAHjA4QXkjuGoOEIh73Jl" />

The apartment mix will cater to a broad range of buyers, with 65 studio and one-bedroom apartments, 139 two-bedroom residences, 35 three-bedroom apartments, 48 four-bedroom homes, and nine penthouses. Residents will have access to a dedicated amenity level on Level 33, featuring a swimming pool with views towards the Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and North Sydney CBD, as well as a gym, library, shared kitchen, lounge and outdoor entertaining areas.

The hotel will occupy the lower six levels of the building and include meeting and function spaces, a wellness centre with gym, yoga studio, swimming pool and sauna, further strengthening North Sydney's growing hospitality offering.

At ground level, the development has been designed to improve pedestrian connections through the precinct. More than 700 sqm of retail space will activate the street frontage, while a landscaped through-site link connecting Walker Street, Little Walker Street and Doris Fitton Park will provide new public open space with seating, paving and extensive native landscaping.

Freecity Group Co-Founder and Joint CEO Tony Sun said the project represents one of the most significant development opportunities currently available in North Sydney.

"This is one of the most significant development sites in North Sydney and it comes at a pivotal moment for the precinct," Sun said.

"North Sydney is undergoing a genuine transformation, and this project will contribute housing the city urgently needs while creating a landmark destination."

Executive Director of Development Michael Romano said demand for both residential and hotel accommodation would continue to strengthen as the Metro precinct matures.

"The structural demand for high-quality housing and hotel accommodation in North Sydney is compelling, and will only grow as the precinct continues to evolve around the new Metro station," Romano said.

Architectus has designed the tower, orientating the apartments to maximise views towards Sydney Harbour while introducing a sculpted façade intended to respond to light, wind and the surrounding skyline.

Architectus Principal Marko Damic said the design sought to create a tower that contributes to the public realm as much as the skyline.

"We wanted to design a tower that doesn't just sit in the skyline but actively participates and contributes to city life," Damic said.

First look: Freecity gets green light for mixed-use apartment and hotel tower in North Sydney

<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] 
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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. 
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"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. 
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"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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=13962]

Jonathan Chancellor

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