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United States home prices ended the first quarter at their lowest point since the US housing crisis began, according to the Standard &amp; Poor's/Case-Shiller index.
The index is 35% off its early 2006 peak before the housing bubble burst.
The decline is "disappointing," the chairman of S&amp;P's index committee, David Blitzer, says.
The only consolation was the pace of the slump was the slowest since December 2010.
Home prices in 20 major cities fell 2.6% in March compared with the same month a year earlier.
In February the 20-city composite dropped 3.5%.
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“While there has been improvement in some regions, housing prices have not turned,” says Blitzer.
A separate national home price index released quarterly by S&amp;P covering the entire US – not just major metropolitan areas – had the fall at 1.9% in the first quarter compared with the same period in 2011.
"The housing situation in the United States, while certainly not booming, is seeing some stability and possibly some gains," Blitzer said in a conference call with reporters, reported by the LA Times.
Home values in 13 cities dipped year-over-year, including a 4.8% slide in Los Angeles and nearly 3% in San Francisco.
Atlanta suffered an 18% plunge, reaching new lows along with Chicago, Las Vegas, New York and Portland, Oregon.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

US house prices slump to lowest point since housing crisis began: S&P/Case-Shiller 

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Sanctuary Cove has a new record-setter mansion.
The Anchorage Terrace mansion, which came with adjusted $13.75 million price hopes on its April listing through Ray White Sovereign Islands agent Ali Mian, has reputedly been sold for around $12 million.
It’s 1,000-square-metre mansion with a 43-metre river frontage.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/queensland/sanctuary-cove-stunner-listed-with-%2413.75-million-price-tag/2012041154214">The house has symmetrical designer interiors</a>, from its grand double-wing staircase entrance to its heated pool. It has hallways reflecting the strong black-and-white palette of the French fashion house Chanel, the latest home technology system, plus tepanyaki bar, home cinema and Swarovski crystal chandeliers.
The land was consolidated by tourism entrepreneur Chris Scott, who bought two neighbouring houses, and finished off by UK-based businessman John Baines and his wife, Elizabeth.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/05/anchoragead.jpg">
They paid $4.3 million in 2009 for the shell of a home on its 2,836-square-metre holding, which then had a Greg Reid-designed house built by Thomas Hughes Construction.
The Baines have previously sought $17.5 million for the property on earlier listings.
The prior Sanctuary Cove record was $7.22 million on Bayview Terrace.
The sale notification, with an undisclosed price, appeared on websites late last week.
Ray White agent Ali Mian has declined to comment.
But his boss, Brian White, has cited the sale as a sign of property price improvement on Queensland's Gold Coast.
"No one would have thought that sort of sale would be remotely possible on the Gold Coast," he told News Ltd.
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Sanctuary Cove mansion sale sets new reputed $12 million record

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Orthopaedic surgeon Malcolm Glase has sold his redundant Woolwich riverfront residence, which was initially listed last November.
Its most recent asking price was $4.5 million plus through Matthew Ward of Ward Partners, who’d had $5 million original expectations. No final sale price has been revealed.
Located at the tip of The Point Road, the four-bedroom house comes complete with boat shed and ramp. There is also approval for a pool on the 607-square-metre block.
It last traded for $3.75 million in 2001. Glase is upgrading to a nearby Angelo Street trophy mansion, which he snapped up for $9.2 million after it was listed for mortgagee-in-possession sale.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/record-setting-woolwich-mansion-sold-for-loss-as-saga-winds-down/2011092551674">It was the home sought by the prominent Obeid family in an off-market deal from mobile phone seller Mick Hakim</a>, who’d paid $11,005,000 in 2007.
The Obeid family's purchase hopes were dashed as one of Hakim's creditors deemed the mooted $8.5 million sale as below the market value and threatened proccedings against National Australia Bank, the first mortgagee.
The Glase's Italianate residence acquistion sits on a 2,037 square metre Lane Cove riverfront block with a prized north-easterly aspect.
It had been on the market at $13.5 million sometime before the Obeid deal that never was consumated.
 
 
 
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Orthopaedic surgeon upgrades Woolwich waterfronts: Title Tattle

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The $600,000 sale of a Drummoyne apartment has concluded a 22-year saga of unknown and/or reluctant entitlement.

The vendor, a Boston, US-based beneficiary, will pocket the proceeds, plus about $150,000 from 22 years unallocated back rent.
The property last traded at $102,000 in 1986 when bought by a mother who died suddenly in January 1990 leaving a baby daughter and a scribbled note indicating her wishes.
The two-bedroom apartment remained on the rent roll of a Drummoyne agency, which has been directed by Ray White principal Chris Wilkins for about 10 years. The Wrights Road apartment remained on his rental book – with the proceeds banked into the trust account and awaiting the discovery of the beneficiary.
She was initially hesitant on hearing of her windfall, thinking in part it ought to go to her father, and she disappeared again from contact for some years. The sole beneficiary was more recently tracked down in Boston, according to the Inner West Courier journalist Victoria Craw, after Wilkins collaborated with Tim Eakin of law firm Eakin McCaffery Cox, administrator of the deceased estate, to hire a private investigator in the US.
Marketed by Ray White agent Aladdin Hassen following its recent redecoration, auctioneer Peter Matthews tweeted afterwards it was "a great story."
It was initially listed with a $625,000 asking price in January and then $550,000-plus hopes in the lead up to the auction. "It was a competitive auction," Wilkins said, saying it was sold to a young bidder buying her first home.
 
 
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A $600,000 Drummoyne unit sale plus $150,000 back rent windfall for long-lost Boston beneficiary 

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CommSec chief economist Craig James has called for the federal government to hold a home building summit.
“The Reserve Bank has certainly expressed more concern about the lack of home building in recent months, however it can only do so much in stimulating activity.
“Ultimately federal and state governments need to sit down with developers, industry bodies and finance providers to work out the fundamental constraints on new home building.
“A home building summit would certainly be a positive leadership initiative from the federal government,” James suggests.
His comments came after a slight lift in April new home sales.
But James noted the nearing end of Victoria’s $13,000 first-home bonus helped national new home sales mount a partial recovery in April.
The HIA - JELD-WEN new home sales report, based on a survey of Australia’s 100 largest builders, showed a 6.9% rise in total seasonally adjusted new home sales in April, with new detached house sales increasing the most in Victoria, up by 17.2%, ahead of the removal of the first-home bonus.
The increase in Victorian home sales was the first gain in five months, James notes.
"However it is clear that home building is weak, certainly well below averages over the past five years.
“In part Aussies lack confidence to build,” he adds.
"Others are opting for shared accommodation, whether it be Gen Y renting apartments together or staying home with their parents. Or it may be that senior Australians are opting to live with their children and grandchildren.
"Certainly home occupancy has been rising over the past two years – something that hasn’t happened in over a century," James says.
 
 
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Federal government needs to convene home building summit: CommSec's Craig James

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The nearing end of Victoria’s $13,000 first home bonus has helped national new home sales mount a partial recovery in April following a very weak end to the first quarter of 2012, the Housing Industry Association has reported.
The HIA - JELD-WEN new home sales report, based on a survey of Australia’s 100 largest builders, showed a 6.9% rise in total seasonally adjusted new home sales in April.
Detached house sales rose by 6.4%, while multi-unit sales were up by 10.3%.
New detached house sales increased by 17.2% in Victoria, ahead of the removal of the first-home bonus, the HIA noted.
Detached house sales also increased in Western Australia by 9.8% and New South Wales by 1.8%.
However, detached house sales fell by 5.9% in South Australia and by 5.5% in Queensland.
The increase in Victorian home sales was the first gain in five months, the CommSec chief economist, Craig James noted.
"The good news is that Victorian house sales soared.
"The bad news is that the upcoming expiry of the First Home Bonus probably had a lot to do with it.
"And unfortunately in economics it can get like that – on the one hand this, on the other hand that.
"However it is clear that home building is weak, certainly well below averages over the past five years," Craig James said.
It was in part that Australians lacked confidence to build, he added.
"Others are opting for shared accommodation, whether it be Gen Y renting apartments together or staying home with their parents. Or it may be that senior Australians are opting to live with their children and grandchildren.
"Certainly home occupancy has been rising over the past two years – something that hasn’t happened in over a century," Craig James said.
 
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HIA chief economist Dr Harley Dale says the April lift in new home sales of both detached houses and multi-is was an “imperative result”.
"Even with this latest improvement, the aggregate volume of both new home sales and local government building approvals imply that in the absence of a rapid and sustained recovery, national new home building is heading to a recessionary level in 2012.
“That’s an unfortunate fact which everybody needs to face and which requires further interest rate cuts and immediate government action,” Dale says.
“We keep hearing that Australia is one of the world’s strongest economies in aggregate.
“That’s a redundant concept if people on the ground aren’t feeling and experiencing that, and they haven’t been for quite some time,” he says.
"Further interest rate cuts are required, and the Reserve Bank should just get on with the job on June 5.
“However, rate cuts are not a panacea and the key to a housing recovery lies with governments at all levels.
“Job losses are mounting and governments need to collectively act to revitalise new home building through reducing the sector’s excessive tax burden and through an immediate injection of investment and funding,” the HIA press release says.
 
 
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New home sales partial recovery in April buoyed by Victorian first-home bonus deadline: HIA

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The entrepreneur Donald Trump has told an Australian estate agent audience that owners struggling to sell their prestige homes shouldn’t fire their listing agent, just “fire them up” with the prospect of higher sales commission.
The billionaire property developer and host of The Apprentice advised his devoted audience via satellite that he regularly pays his agents 2% or 3% higher than the regular sales commission rate.
"Over the years, I have done every conceivable thing to agents, including a time when I decided to cut the agents out on a beautiful building I was marketing to try and save on the commissions,'' Trump told the audience of estate agents at the Australasian Real Estate Agents (AREC) conference on the weekend at the Gold Coast.
"But did I learn the hard way that was a bad idea. The sales I had started to dry up. I found out the agents were telling people the building was no good. They weren't stupid.
"Now I pay 7 or 8% commission and go [to] the other extreme because it means people bring buyers to me because I pay a better commission. It works.''
Trump, who praised estate agents as strong, smart and resilient, cautioned the 2,500 agent audience not to let the economic environment make them too aggressive.
"If you are too aggressive to the point where you become obnoxious, you are not a good agent,'' he said.
"When I'm looking for an agent, I look at their past success and their reputation. I want to see their record: are they honourable people, are they well liked and what is their success rate like? And if I like what I hear, I make a deal.''
Negotiation skills were also important, he added, saying his tip to prospective vendors in choosing the right real estate agent was to “look at their past success,” News Ltd papers reported.
 
 
 
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Donald Trump tells under-incentivised Australian estate agents not to be obnoxious

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Villa Belza, the NSW north coast beach house designed by the French architect Franck Burgard at Angourie, has been listed for sale at $1.35 million.
With tropical privacy screen, views of Yaraguir National Park, Clarence Peak, Lake Wooloweyah and Angourie Back Beach, it comes with multiple balconies, roof deck plus lookout tower.
Villa Bliza is currently set up as a $430 a night peak season holiday rental by its vendor, the Davies family, who have owned the property since 1991.
Elders agents Mike Harvey and Sarah Harvey have the listing of the four-bedroom house currently adorned with antique French antiques.
The Pacific Street house, a three-minutes nature walk from the Spooky Beach, was initially listed in 2009 with higher price hopes.
Burgard’s office is in the Paris neighbourhood Belleville-Ménilmontant. Burgard also designs catamarans.
 
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Angourie beach house Villa Belza, designed by surfing French architect, on the market for $1.35 million

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It was marketed by <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/western-australia/absentee-investor-alert-nigerian-scammers-sell-%24410000-house-they-didnt-own/2011081751195">LJ Hooker under the ironic headline “LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING!!!</a><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/western-australia/absentee-investor-alert-nigerian-scammers-sell-%24410000-house-they-didnt-own/2011081751195" target="_blank">”</a> and sold within six days.
But what eventuated as an Nigerian scam sale has prompted Western Australia's Consumer Protection to begin disciplinary action against the Mirrabooka selling agent.
Following the fraudulent sale last year the department has lodged an application with the State Administrative Tribunal to hear the case against Samykannu Pty Ltd, trading as LJ Hooker Mirrabooka, and licensee John Samykannu.
It is for alleged breaches of the real estate agents’ code of conduct.
The legal action follows an investigation by the Property Industries branch of Consumer Protection into the circumstances surrounding the sale of the home in April last year without the real owners’ knowledge or consent. It was a brick Ballajura house located 14 kilometres north of Perth.
The owners discovered they had become victims of identity fraud perpetrated by scammers in Nigeria when they returned to Perth to inspect the property in August.
The snappily sold house (the marketing said “FIRST TO SEE WILL GRAB IT!”) had settled months before without the knowledge or consent of the absentee landlord owner.
The proceeds from the sale, almost $400,000, had been sent to a bank account in China.
The Commissioner for Consumer Protection will allege that the agency LJ Hooker Mirrabooka and agent John Samykannu did not exercise due skill, care and diligence by failing to properly verify the identities of the vendors.
It is further alleged that the agent failed to act in the best interests of his clients and failed to act in accordance with their instructions by not contacting them via the details listed on the "authority to act as managing agent" agreement for their property.
A date for the hearing against the real estate agent has yet to be set. The codes of conduct for real estate agents, sales representatives and settlement agents were strengthened in October last year by the state government.
The department says clear guidelines issued to all agents to ensure more stringent identity checks will reduce the chance of fraud attempts being successful in the future.
 
 
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Perth Nigerian scam estate agent faces disciplinary action for alleged lack of diligence in $410,000 sale

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Despite all the attention the mining billionaires get, property still retains its status as the major source of wealth for BRW Rich listers.
Some 54 of the wealthiest 200 have property as the source of their wealth.
Next follow those who made money from services (28) and then resources (22), investment (21), retail (20), then rural, technology, manufacturing, entertainment and construction.
Frank Lowy’s $6.47 billion wealth holds third place behind Gina Rinehart and Ivan Glasenberg.
Then Harry Triguboff sits in seventh place, with an estimated $4.85 million wealth.
John Gandel is ranked 10th with a $3.45 million worth.
Their presence highlights that membership of the BRW Rich List is rapidly getting older, and lacking new younger?names making their fortunes.
Frank Lowy is 81 with three sons, Harry Triguboff is 79 and two children, and Gandel is 77 years old with four children.
Property developer Lang Walker is a spritely 66 – worth $2.1 billion in 13th place with three children – at 89 Stan Perron is in 15th place at $2.05 billion with three children; in 20th place the 87-year old Maurice Alter has a $1.5 billion net worth with two children.
All up there are 17 octogenarians on the rich 200 list – the oldest is Sydney publican and property developer Cyril Maloney at 92, with an estimated $360 million worth and four children.
Just 15 members on the Rich 200 List are younger than 50, partly because a generation of entrepreneurs came unstuck during the GFC. The 41 year old Melbourne property developer Ashley Williams - from Evolve Development - made his debut onto the list this year with a $215 million estimate worth.
A further 38 are aged between 50 and 59, which puts 145 Rich listers aged 60 or older.
Succession planning will provide plenty of headlines in future years.
Somewhat conservative for the current chastened times is how AFR reporter John Stensholt describes the rich at the moment.
Though the Financial Times did report of the weekend that James Packer’s Ellerston polo team is set to return to UK high-goal season this year.
More than £20 million has been spent on the new polo centre in the West Sussex countryside by Packer, the FT noted.
“Fears that Packer’s polo-playing son James could lose interest in the game following his father’s death a few years ago proved unfounded,” the FT polo supplement advised.
It was two years ago that planning permission was given for the Packer polo run at Manor Farm, at the tiny village of Selham, near Midhurst.
The local paper the West Sussex Gazette then reported the farm had been given a change of use permission by Chichester District Council despite protests from villagers at the Cowdray estate-owned 134-hectare holding.
It’s is not far from Great House Farm, the 38-hectare polo complex at Stedham, owned by his late father, Kerry during the 1980s. Kerry Packer sold the house to Roman Abramovich, the Russian oligarch, and his polo fields to Filipino banker Bobby Aguirre.
Manor Farm now comes with two polo playing areas, a horse walkway and all-weather exercise track with the existing dairy buildings converted to stabling and seasonal accommodation for grooms and a clubhouse for the famous Ellerston team. The farm is opposite the Ambersham polo grounds.
Last year the Argentine for­mer 10-goaler Gonzalo Pieres, who played with Kerry throughout the 1990s, suggested Selham will be the new Stedham.
“They have done everything right, and the grounds are amazing,” Pieres said.
Pololine.com report that the Ellerston team "will have a very interesting change" in one of the elite competitions.
"Patron Jamie Packer will only play the Gold Cup, and his place in the Queen's Cup will be taken by Spain's Iñigo Zobel, the patron of Ayala Polo Team in Sotogrande," the leading <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pololine.com/?lang=1&amp;sec=2&amp;note=1275&amp;pag=0">polo website </a>reported last month.
The Veuve Cliquot Gold Cup team is given as "Ellerston: Jamie Packer (1) (Iñigo Zobel juega la Queen's Cup), John-Paul Clarkin (8), Gonzalo Pieres Jr. (10), Tomás Garbarini (3)"
James Packer, who last played English high-goal polo in 2008, could apparently whack the ball a good 150 yards.
The latest arrivals on the polo circuit, the FT reports, are wealthy Chinese polo clubs reigniting China's elite passion for the sport.
Played by the Persians some 2,500 years ago, polo was adopted by the Tang Dynasty, who ruled China from 618-907 AD.
Apparently four big-spending Chinese polo clubs have opened in the past eight years. starting with Beijing's Sunn Times clun in 2005 and Shanghai's Nine Dragons club in 2008.
Tang Polo Club near Beijing and Tianjin’s Goldin Metropolitan, backed by Goldin Group, the investment company owned by Pan Sutong, the Hong Kong property magnate, host international tournaments having imported more than 100 ponies from Australasia and Europe, the FT noted.
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Succession plans worth watching once BRW rich listers get back from the summer polo season where James Packer's Ellerston rides again

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.

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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<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.

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&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."

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&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."

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&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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Jonathan Chancellor

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