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The eastern suburbs real estate doyenne Di Jones, 74, has died in hospital.
Her auctioneer husband of 48 years, Bill, and estate agent daughter Kim were by her side.
The company announced the news on its Facebook page on Sunday morning.
"It is with great sadness that we advise of the passing of our much loved ambassador and founder, Di Jones," the statement advised.
It was 39 years ago, when Jones and her auctioneer husband, who had been in the hotel industry, opened their first office in Glebe, building a client base by door-knocking then at Raine &amp; Horne Woollahra, then Richardson &amp; Wrench Woollahra. 
The Di Jones agency story began in 1992, in a small boutique office in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra run by the local identity and real estate agent extraordinaire.
In 1995 Di Jones Real Estate sold 278 properties at auction, for a total of $117 million. 
It was the first female driven agency.
“I just wanted to do something different — it was very male-dominated back then,” she recalled last year. 
Within a decade the company was turning over $380 million in residential real estate, at an average of $890,000 a property after it expanded into Balmain in 1999 and into Double Bay in 2000. 
She loved real estate. "It gets into your blood," she once said.
"You become part of people's lives for a month. And I just love the architectural element - I love the houses." 
During her time, those dark humble terraces of Woollahra and Paddington became light filled, cosy habitats.
Jones, an ardent Francophile (which explains the French provincial blue she chose as her company's colour) got into real estate after she and Bill had been living on Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast with their two children. 
Their second child, Matthew, suffered brain damage at birth and needed special care - for that, they both needed to work. The answer was real estate which helped fund send Matthew to the Rudolf Steiner Warrah school in Dural.
Di Jones knew her patch well.
Her own agency was just a few doors from her home, one of the village's stone cottages.
Very quickly Di's boutique agency was a success recognised by its distinctive French blue advertising. She calculated 70 percent of her business was derived by referrals.
Since its sale in 2016, the boutique business is no longer in family hands, though the current owners endeavour to follow the Di Jones philosophy based on connecting with clients and creating a bespoke experience to achieve outstanding results.
Daughter Kim recently opened her own agency Snowden Jones. 
Matthew died unexpectedly in 2008 aged 34 and the family established the Matthew Jones Foundation.
Di Jones once participated in a day in the life feature on her selling Sydney's most expensive real estate which kicked off at 6.15am, with an early morning constitutional around Centennial Park.
The small and trim estate agent did the walk with Bill.
They did it four or five times a week, a 50 minute exercise. 
The writer Christine Hogan noted once in the office she was dressed in a neat black, knee-length skirt, sheer black hose, black courts with a medium heel and an ivory jacket accessorised with a diamond wedding band, a heavy gold link bracelet and gold hoop earrings.
There was her Gucci bag with her business lifelines - a tiny mobile phone and her diary as she headed to appointments in her white BMW.
Back at her desk the was just an ornate pen, a bottle of herbal asthma medicine, a bottle of pale nail polish and some Miss Dior perfume.
Tim Schwan, when he was her CEO, said she was tenacious at getting a sale.
The Daily Telegraph reported she suffered ill health for years and was being treated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at RPA, and a more recently diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.
She died in Prince of Wales Private Hospital on Saturday night.
.
 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Sydney eastern suburbs real estate doyenne Di Jones dies

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The eastern suburbs real estate doyenne Di Jones, 74, has died in hospital.
Her auctioneer husband of 48 years, Bill, and estate agent daughter Kim were by her side.
The company announced the news on its Facebook page on Sunday morning.
"It is with great sadness that we advise of the passing of our much loved ambassador and founder, Di Jones," the statement advised.
It was 39 years ago, when Jones and her auctioneer husband, who had been in the hotel industry, opened their first office in Glebe, building a client base by door-knocking then at Raine &amp; Horne Woollahra, then Richardson &amp; Wrench Woollahra. 
The Di Jones agency story began in 1992, in a small boutique office in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra run by the local identity and real estate agent extraordinaire.
In 1995 Di Jones Real Estate sold 278 properties at auction, for a total of $117 million. 
It was the first female driven agency.
“I just wanted to do something different — it was very male-dominated back then,” she recalled last year. 
Within a decade the company was turning over $380 million in residential real estate, at an average of $890,000 a property after it expanded into Balmain in 1999 and into Double Bay in 2000. 
She loved real estate. "It gets into your blood," she once said.
"You become part of people's lives for a month. And I just love the architectural element - I love the houses." 
During her time, those dark humble terraces of Woollahra and Paddington became light filled, cosy habitats.
Jones, an ardent Francophile (which explains the French provincial blue she chose as her company's colour) got into real estate after she and Bill had been living on Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast with their two children. 
Their second child, Matthew, suffered brain damage at birth and needed special care - for that, they both needed to work. The answer was real estate which helped fund send Matthew to the Rudolf Steiner Warrah school in Dural.
Di Jones knew her patch well.
Her own agency was just a few doors from her home, one of the village's stone cottages.
Very quickly Di's boutique agency was a success recognised by its distinctive French blue advertising. She calculated 70 percent of her business was derived by referrals.
Since its sale in 2016, the boutique business is no longer in family hands, though the current owners endeavour to follow the Di Jones philosophy based on connecting with clients and creating a bespoke experience to achieve outstanding results.
Daughter Kim recently opened her own agency Snowden Jones. 
Matthew died unexpectedly in 2008 aged 34 and the family established the Matthew Jones Foundation.
Di Jones once participated in a day in the life feature on her selling Sydney's most expensive real estate which kicked off at 6.15am, with an early morning constitutional around Centennial Park.
The small and trim estate agent did the walk with Bill.
They did it four or five times a week, a 50 minute exercise. 
The writer Christine Hogan noted once in the office she was dressed in a neat black, knee-length skirt, sheer black hose, black courts with a medium heel and an ivory jacket accessorised with a diamond wedding band, a heavy gold link bracelet and gold hoop earrings.
There was her Gucci bag with her business lifelines - a tiny mobile phone and her diary as she headed to appointments in her white BMW.
Back at her desk the was just an ornate pen, a bottle of herbal asthma medicine, a bottle of pale nail polish and some Miss Dior perfume.
Tim Schwan, when he was her CEO, said she was tenacious at getting a sale.
The Daily Telegraph reported she suffered ill health for years and was being treated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at RPA, and a more recently diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.
She died in Prince of Wales Private Hospital last night.
.
 
 
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Eastern suburbs estate agent doyenne Di Jones dies

Apartment developer Aqualand - which this week signed up to become the McGrath estate agency&#39;s second biggest shareholder - is controlled by the Lin family.

Scion &quot;Jim&quot; Jin Lin heads the business.

Lin hit the headlines when the family acquired the $52 million mansion Villa Igiea in Vaucluse.

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Villa Igiea,&nbsp;the&nbsp;magnificent European style villa, was bought from Dr Wayne Burt, during the final business hours of 2015.

There were headlines again when he lodged plans for a $22 million renovation that would see the neighbouring house rebuilt as a three-storey residence with the two properties joined via a basement and shared carpark.

Permission was given in April this year on the November 2016 Tzannes Architects proposal which involved 1800 sqm of excavation.

The two Queens Avenue homes covering 2900 sqm are registered in the name of Lin&rsquo;s mother, Yunhui.

<img alt="" src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/6/22/vaucluse.png" />

Lin is the Chinese-born, 28 year old in charge of residential developer&#39;s $5 billion apartment pipeline.

Aqualand, which was launched in 2013, has projects at Lindfield and North Ryde on Sydney&#39;s north-side. Another of its projects include Blue at Lavender Bay, the residential conversion of an 18 level commercial office building.

There&#39;s also the ultra-luxury 46-unit project, The Revy, at the heritage-listed waterfront warehouse adjacent to the Seven Network headquarters in Pyrmont, where designer Blainey North was commissioned to undertake its interiors.

It has plans for a mixed-use residential complex of nearly 1200 units over five hectares, in Melrose Park, Meadowbank, along Sydney&#39;s Parramatta River.

Apartment developer Aqualand has been very active and recently made former Mirvac head of residential John Carfi its new chief executive.
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Their stake in McGrath cost around $10.7 million.

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Aqualand is also a vested corporate citizen, sponsoring sporting and cultural initiatives such as The Australian Ballet, Sydney Film Festival, Sculpture by the Sea (Bondi), and the Western Sydney Wanderers.

Aqualand is backed by capital from its parent company, Shenglong Group which has $25 billion in investments and development in China, Europe, the US and Australia.

He is the only son of Chinese property mogul Yi Lin, head of Shanghai-based property group, Shenglong.

The two are reportedly close, speaking three to four times a day.

Lin senior was a sub-contractor but started his own development company in 1999 in their hometown of Fuzhou in the southern province of Fujian in China.

The company has developed 30 million square metres of property.

The younger Lin, a finance graduate from Macquarie University in Sydney, went to his father&#39;s construction sites every day as a child.

The Lin family migrated to Australia 16 years ago.

Their hillside Vaucluse mansion, inspired by the grandest of villas in Palermo, Sicily, dates back to the 1920s when built for the Grace retailing family (below).

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The property&#39;s prior owner was Charlotte Sargent, whose&nbsp;husband George Sargent, the founder of Sargent&rsquo;s Pies, named their then house, Hartley Hope.
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The photographs taken at the property by Sam Hood in 1939 at the pre-wedding cocktail party for Mr Grace and Miss Miller, hosted by Isabel Grace, show the property.

In 1939 Sam Hood took a photograph entitled Pre-wedding cocktail party for Miss Miller and Mr Grace, given by Mrs I Grace at her home, &quot;Villa Igiea&quot;, Vaucluse.

Source: State Library of NSW, Sam Hood Collection.

<img alt="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/6/22/vaucluse3.jpg" />
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Villa Igiea was the long-time home of the late TNT transport tycoon Sir Peter Abeles and then his widow, Lady (Kitty) Abeles.

Its first update came during the McWilliam family&rsquo;s ownership, then its contemporary refurbishment by Paris designer India Mahdavi which featured in the April 2013 Vogue.

Dr Burt had paid $17.37 million in 2005, then adding an adjoining 800 sqm property with house in 2009 costing $4.9 million, which was anticipated as a tennis court block.

Source: State Library of NSW, Sam Hood Collection.

<img alt="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/6/22/vaucluse2.jpg" />

For a time James Packer was interested in buying Villa Igiea but instead bought La Mer in 2009.

Set above Hermit Bay, Villa Igiea was built on its 2200 sqm block in the Riviera Liberty style to a design by Neville Hampson, the architect who also designed Boomerang at Elizabeth Bay.

It became one of Sydney&#39;s leading short term luxury rentals, occupied by Texan billionaire Jim Clark and his wife, Kristy Hinze-Clark as their Sydney to Hobart race-winning bolthole.

Villa Igiea, which had enough space to host Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt&#39;s wife, and their six children, could command up to $70,000 a week.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5770 project_image_fid=24110]
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Who is Aqualand's Jin Lin, the second biggest shareholder in the McGrath estate agency

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Veteran South Yarra developer Michael Yates has sold his last remaining site in South Yarra.
<a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-south+yarra-502792806" target="_blank">The 55 Claremont Street offering</a> was bought pre-auction by a local developer for $8.6 million.
It sold in 2014 at $6.188 million with extended settlement terms.
The 50 plus year veteran, who turned 74 this week, says he's not leaving development, but he has sub-leased his office.
The auction had been delayed twice due to disputes between Yates, his financiers and a buyer of an off-the-plan apartment in the permitted scheme who wished to proceed with their off the plan purchase. 
The site has approval for a 15-storey tower with 37 apartments. 
CBRE marketed the property in conjunction with Gorman Commercial's Jonathon McCormack and Stephen Gorman.
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<div id="article-inline-ad" class="adWrapper">Yates pulled the permitted residential project last year after selling only 20 of the penthouse-style apartments.</div>
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<div class="adWrapper">He then offered it as an amalgamated, 969-square-metre site, with the neighbouring property owned by cleaning company AES Services boss George Haritos, but it failed to sell. </div>
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"It was a problem child," Mr Yates told the Australian Financial Review last week of his decision to put it back on the market as a single site. "I've never had to pull a project on the market in 57 years."
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Michael Yates finally secures onsale of 55 Claremont Street, South Yarra

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Australia’s third largest real estate platform, VIEW.com.au, has appointed Toby Balazs, as their new CEO.
Balazs joins VIEW having served as a key member of REA’s leadership and online strategy teams since 2004. He worked with property developers and project marketers for the Richmond-based realestate.com.au for a decade and more recently was its manager of online strategy and execution.
Balazs will take over in mid-July from VIEW’s Enzo Raimondo, who has been closely involved with the property listing portal for over 16 years, first as CEO of Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) and later taking over as CEO of RealestateVIEW in 2016. A VIEW spokesperson advised Raimondo's next step was "undetermined."
Announcing Toby’s appointment, VIEW Chairman John Piccolo said Mr Balazs is a dynamic thinker and leader. 
“His track record in executing transformative digital programs has been exceptional and he embodies VIEW’s values of innovation, integrity and fostering strong family ideals”, he said.  
Balazs said he was "honoured and excited" to have been selected.
"Growing VIEW from the 3rd largest player is a challenge I accept with both confidence and determination,” he said. 
Homehound has historically been ranked as 4th ranked listings website, with homely and thehomepage closing in.
“I am committed to continuing VIEW’s momentum based on a differentiated offering, which is resonating strongly in the market — by offering lower fees for real estate agents to list property, and importantly, delivering consumers an exceptional level of real estate industry information on a platform that is free and easy to use.
"My mission is to lead VIEW to even greater things,”  the Perth born, Ivanhoe Grammar, Melbourne-educated executive said. Born in 1975, he completed a bachelor of business at RMIT in the 1990s.
The Hawthorn East-based VIEW recently launched of Property-360, a price estimate tool for over 13 million properties across Australia.
The site calculates Balazs's two bedroom modern Richmond terrace has an $836,000 value, with a $600,000 to $1 million potential value range. He paid $760,000 in 2008, suggesting the calculation algorithm needs refinement. Realestate.com.au put the likely value as between $1,100,000 to $1,374,999. Domain suggest the prospect of $975,000, with an estimated range between $845,000 to $1.11 million. 
The website, which has struggled to get traction outside of Victoria, initially launched in 2001.
Its rebrand last year included an editorial partnership with Independent Media Publishers (IMP), regional and suburban publishers across Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. 
It also has a partnership with the onsite news website, The New Daily.
The Alexa website's back of an envelope calculation puts the VIEW site as the 1000th busiest website in Australia, with realestate sitting 26th, and domain 74th. Homehound sits at around 17,000.
Franchise group websites were not included on the list of portals.
 
 
 
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Toby Balazs appointed CEO of VIEW.com.au

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Imminent restrictions on lending to heavily indebted borrowers will accelerate a squeeze on borrowing, according to UBS analysts.
UBS has repeated its warning of a potential credit crunch in the Australian economy where house prices would likely fall over a prolonged period across a few years.
This is because the price of money [via record low interest rates] becomes less relevant compared with the supply of money [credit availability] or demand for money — that is through employment, income, population," UBS economist George Tharenou said.
This week he noted about 30% of outstanding mortgage debt was held by borrowers with debts more than six times their income, which meant the flow of total lending going to borrowers with debt-to-income levels of more than six times would previously have been greater than 30% of lending.
Westpac advised recently that the share of loans on the bank’s books with a debt-to-income ratio above six times was about 20%.
UBS suggested this could be well above the new limit required by APRA.
“We expect boards, shareholders and management teams to recommend ‘very high’ debt-to-income be a low 5 to 10% of new lending flow,” Tharenou said.
“The impact of even a generous limit of 20% would likely be a negative for lending growth and credit availability.”
It is the latest warning from the UBS analysts of a potential credit crunch in the wake of the early evidence presented to the royal commission into banking and financial services, 
“This means that the introduction of debt-to-income limits will likely make borrowing for the median home in Australia (let alone Sydney or Melbourne) even more challenging,” Tharenou told The Australian.
He said restricting the amount of credit going towards borrowers with lower incomes could drag house prices in Sydney and Melbourne lower, as loan sizes would no longer support high house prices.
“Even taking into account higher household income in Sydney and Melbourne along with a 20% deposit, on our estimates the median household in Sydney will only be able to afford an $800,000 property, still well below the median house price,” Tharenou said.
UBS's George Tharenou said the credit crunch scenario would clearly be unintended by regulators and policy makers.
A tightening of access to credit for heavily indebted borrowers would also crimp the ability for property investors to enter the market. About 20% of investors own two properties, and 10% own three or more. About half of all investment properties are owned by investors with multiple properties.
“Limits could well spell the end of widespread multiple property investing in Australia — at least for those investors who maintain an owner-occupier mortgage and geared investments,” Tharenou said.
 
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UBS see heavily indebted borrowers squeezed in pending credit crunch

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A Sue Carr-designed home in Toorak sold at the weekend after it was passed in at its auction.
The 2017 built home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-toorak-128429414" target="_blank">52A Lansell Road</a> had been listed with a $4,750,000 to $5,225,000 price guide.
It was reported to have fetched around $5 million after being passed in at $4.85 million.
<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/2018/6/18/TOORAK%202.jpg" alt="">
Marshall White Stonnington agents Justin Long and Mark Harris sold the home.
It was the second attempt to sell the home.
It was listed last year with an asking price of $5.75 million by Jim and Grace Tirtha.
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Toorak home on the pricey Lansell Road fetches around $5 million

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NSW land tax revenues are up, but stamp duty on sales has fallen dramatically.
The annual land tax revenue from property investors was $148 million higher than the $3.68 billion forecast.
The land tax helped the NSW surplus for 2017-2018 coming in at $3.9 billion, buoyed by a gst boost.
But a slowdown in sales activity saw NSW stamp duty revenues $960 million lower than expected.
The stamp duty revenue will be $10.4 billion this financial year, down from the $11.46 billion forecast.
It was blamed on lower than expected growth in property sales and prices along with a “significant shift from investors toward first home buyers.”
The overall stamp duty revenue will be $5.5 billion lower over the three years to 2020-21.
“Despite  this our finances remain in excellent shape,” the NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.
The Treasury papers noted while the downturn was “significant in dollar terms, revenue growth has been strong for an extended period, and the downturn is moderate compared with historic variations.”
The budget papers noted stamp duty was “a highly volatile revenue source reflecting the underlying volatility of property transactions and prices.”
There was also a sharp fall in revenues from foreign investors revealed in the budget.
There was hope that the state budget would provide stamp duty relief or reform, but the Treasurer said he would prefer to support first time buying.
 
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No change on stamp duty or FHB in NSW state budget, as decline in sales activity hits

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Adelaide's most expensive penthouse sold has been sold off the plan for $5.2 million.
The two-level northern penthouse in the Elenberg Fraser-designed tower had a $5.5 million asking price in January last year.
A local family purchased the penthouse that will have 455 square metres of internal space and 150 square metres of external space.
The southern penthouse is also on sale.
Demolition work began on the site of the 40-level Realm last September with completion expect in late 2019.
It is Adelaide's highest apartment located at 9-19 Austin Street.
The 40-level Realm comes with 311 apartments.
More than 86 per cent sold have been sold with prices starting at $345,000 through sales director Ben Small.
Realm Adelaide is being developed by Parallel Property, a private Sydney developer with family links to Adelaide.
It is directed by Anthony Pattinson and Paul Smith.
 
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Realm sets Adelaide penthouse record with $5.2 million sale 

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A Lennox Head beachfront house has been put on the market with record hopes.
It has a price guide a $8 million to $8.8 million through Braden Walters and Adam Gaiter from McGrath. 
<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/2018/6/13/LENNOX%20HEAD%202.jpg" alt="">
Situated at 1 Rocky Point Rd, Lennox Head, the home comes with four bedrooms plus study and nursery.
It comes with chef's kitchen.
There are entertaining decks, pool and three car lock up garage.
The home features recycled timber flooring and glass louvres on its 4,000 sqm of level land.
It is just moments to Lennox Head, Ballina airport and Byron Bay.
The suburb's median house price sits on<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/%20https:/www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-lennox+head-128525850" target="_blank"> $886,500</a>, according to CoreLogic. 
<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/2018/6/13/LENNOX%20HEAD%203.jpg" alt="">
 
 
 
 
 
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Lennox Head trophy home with record price hopes

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Jonathan Chancellor

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