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Every day that the big four banks delay passing on the Reserve Bank’s latest interest rate cut represents a deprivation of $12 million from home owners’ pockets, according to The Australia Institute.
NAB and the Commonwealth Bank have announced their response to the RBA lowering the cash rate by 0.5 percentage points yesterday. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/overseas/nab-first-of-big-four-banks-to-cut-rates-with-032-percentage-point-cut/2012050254522" target="_blank">NAB will cut its rates by 0.32 percentage points.</a> The <a target="_blank" href="/news">Commonwealth Bank will cut its rates by 0.4 percentage points.</a>
The Australia Institute derived the $12 million figure from the $1.1 trillion in total housing loans held by the big four.
It then calculated the difference 50 basis points makes in the banks' combined revenue for one day.
The institute assumed only 80% of the mortgage market was in standard variable rates, senior research fellow David Richardson told Fairfax Media.
“The big four banks have more than an 80% market share. If they are not prepared to pass on interest rate cuts in full then perhaps it’s time to start discussing a banks super profits tax again,” Richardson said.
“The banks are engaging in a phoney debate about the cost of borrowing,’’ he concluded.
In order for the domestic economy to fully benefit, the Federal Treasurer, the housing industry lobby and consumer groups have called on the banks to pass along the full rate cut.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Banks’ delay in passing on interest rate cut costing customers $12 million per day: Australia Institute 

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Victoria has scrapped its first-home buyer bonus for new homes in favour of a broader market stimulus through first-home buyer stamp duty cuts.
But only some within the property industry have welcomed the Victoria government’s stamp duty cuts for first-home buyers.
State Treasurer Kim Wells says all first-time buyers spending less than $600,000 will benefit from the new policy.
Although the axing of the popular first-home buyer bonus is expected to impact on new home sales, Wells was adamant the best way to help first-home owners was to give them all a stamp duty discount.
A 20% discount had previously been introduced, with another 10% discount to follow from January 1, building eventually to 50%.
The separate government first-home owner grant of $7,000 for homes under the value of $750,000 will continue.
The grant is not a federal grant as state governments fund it as part of the intergovernmental agreement on finances.

But the state government first-home buyer bonus of $13,000 for newly constructed homes will expire in June.
“The provision of $65 million to fund the increase of stamp duty cuts for first-home buyers is welcome, given the severe economic constraints in this budget," the Real Estate Institute of Victoria's Enzo Raimondo says.
“The REIV called for the government to refocus assistance for all first-home buyers, and we welcome that change," he says.
The REIV says the bonus for newly constructed homes has done its job, with refocused assistance for all first home buyers a good move.
The bonus for new homes was worth $13,000 for a city dwelling and $19,500 for a country property.
But Housing Industry Association Victorian director Gil King says not extending the bonus beyond June was ''short-sighted'', especially following the significant slowdown in new home sales across Victoria.
''The state government is running the risk of undoing all the inroads we have made over the last few years in alleviating Victoria's housing shortage,'' King says.
Photorgaph by Richard Roche courtesy of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.flickr.com/">Flickr</a>.
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Victoria's new home bonus grant ends June 30, but lower stamp duty cuts in January 2013 for first-time buyers

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Estate agent John McGrath has sold his seven-bedroom Duffys Forest retreat for about $4.05 million. He paid $4.7 million for it when he bought it in April last year, before undertaking some renovations. Its sale represented a 13% drop on last sale price.
McGrath had bought it intending to use it as a weekend getaway but changed tack after the premium penthouse above his then Walsh Bay apartment went on the market.
In January McGrath <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/john-mcgrath-finds-walsh-bay-prices-have-been-watered-down-title-tattle/2012013153185">sold his redundant Walsh Bay apartment on Sydney Harbour for $5.5 million</a>, falling slightly short of its $5.95 million purchase price in 2009.
In the meantime McGrath upgraded to a pricier $6.95 million Walsh Bay apartment, his third upgrade within the landmark complex, taking the opportunity of very subdued pricing at the pointy end of the property market.
The Duffys Forest property took 14 months to sell before its purchase by McGrath in April last year, having been listed with $6 million hopes in February 2010.
It was listed last June after its renovations with $5.5 million hopes by McGrath through McGrath Frenchs Forest and then from February with $4.4 million-plus hopes in conjunction with WE Jamieson Forestville after its incorporation into the McGrath network.
The new McGrath office is the group’s seventh in the Northern Beaches, having opened its first office in Manly in 2003. It will service the suburbs of Forestville, Frenchs Forest, Killarney Heights, Belrose and Davidson.
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John McGrath sells Duffys Forest weekender at a loss

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Award-winning photographer Sean Izzard and his wife, architect Amanda, have sold their contemporary Stanwell Park residence for $1.15 million.
It takes in views of the ocean and Bald Hill escarpment. The architecturally designed home is now set in landscaped tropical gardens on a 550-square-metre block, which cost $425,000 in 2001.
The Izzards' house was built about six years ago to a design by Amanda.
It sold through Amanda Moore and Vanessa Denison-Pender at McGrath Thirroul, having been listed with initial $1.3 million-plus hopes, which were adjusted to $1.2 million prior to its March auction. It’s been sold after auction.
Closer to the ocean, businessman <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/peter-holmes-a-courts-nsw-coastal-retreat-listed-for-sale/2011113052622">Peter Holmes à Court's clifftop home</a> sold to Jackie Vidor, wife of Phil Staub, the executive chairman of General Pants, the retail group that owns Surf, Dive &amp; Ski, Jetty Surf and Billabong, just days before Christmas for $1.9 million through McGrath.
 
 
 
 
 
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Not quite a photo finish for Sean Izzard’s Stanwell Park sale: Title Tattle

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The Bank of Queensland was the only lender to react yesterday to the Reserve Bank's rate cut decision.
It has announced it is cutting its standard variable rate by 35 of the 50 basis points in the cash rate reduction.
BOQ chief executive Stuart Grimshaw says continued economic uncertainty had influenced BOQ’s decision to hold back 15 basis points.
“Increased competition in retail term deposits continues to put upward pressure on the bank’s cost of funds,” he says.
“When making decisions on rates we consider the needs of our customers and those of our shareholders.
“It is a difficult balancing act, but we believe passing on a 35 basis point cut is the responsible course of action this month,” he says.
BOQ will cut its standard variable rate by 35 basis points as of 11 May 2012, bringing its standard variable rate home loan to 7.11%.
The bank also lifted mortgage rates by 10 basis points following the March bank decision by the RBA to leave the cash rate on hold, having been the first significant lender to pass on the full 25 basis points cut announced by the RBA in December.
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Bank of Queensland first to show its hand with 0.35% cut

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Garden Island, near the historic village of Carrington at Port Stephens, has been listed for sale.
It now comes with a pavilion-style home on its 1.6-hectare holding nestled in the inner harbour of the NSW mid-north coast town.
It’s about 950 metres to shore.
<img src="/images/stories/gardenisland1.jpg">
With views extending from Nelson Bay around to Soldiers' Point and Lemon Tree Passage, the house was designed by Mullumbinby-based architect Philip Pratt in a mix of Australian rural architecture and Japanese Modular design.
The house features separate pavilions with Colourbond steel external walling and roofing.
The almost adandoned overgrown island last sold without the house for $480,000 in 2001, having been held by the pioneering White family since the Australian Agricultural Company disposed of some land holdings in the 1880s.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/gardenisland2.jpg">
Image: Google Maps
Its vendors are carpet warehouse sellers Wendy and Ken Derry, who married almost 50 years ago after meeting on Luna Park's ghost train as teenagers.
The couple were no strangers to the water, having lived on the Central Coast waterfront after relocating from Sydney's Smithfield about 30 years earlier.
Clearing the island took about six weeks, and the couple enlisted friends and family to help pick up rocks and hand-clear the prickly vine and lantana choking the native vegetation. The builder, Laurie Murphy, came from Bundabah, near North Arm Cove.
It was a huge challenge then to complete the house, they told Sally Croxton of the Newcastle Herald on its 2003 completion.
Linda Derry, the listing agent from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.derrysrealestate.com.au/garden_island.htm">Derry's Real Estate Prestige Property</a>, says the there was no price to display on the marketing due the the unique property and area.
"We have had nothing to compare," she told Property Observer.
"The only indications have been from prospective purchasers ranging from $4.5 million to $7 million."
The deeds to the island show the island was bought by Dribold White from the AA Company in 1885 for £30.
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Not quite tropical, NSW mid-north coast Garden Island at Port Stephens on the market

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Bill Evans, the Westpac chief economist who first forecast the current RBA interest rate reduction cycle, has indicated that the cash rate will go lower than his long-held 3.75% estimate.<o:o:o:o:o:p></o:o:o:o:o:p>
<o:o:o:o:o:p></o:o:o:o:o:p>
"A combination of the guidance from the RBA with regard to the likely slippage between its cash rate and financial conditions and ongoing economic evidence that lower rates are required point to us now expecting that the low point in this cycle will be 3.25%.
"The next cut of 25bps is likely to happen in August when as we expect the RBA will get further confirmation that inflation remains firmly under control," he says.
"The final cut in the cycle is likely in the December quarter probably in November with all of this contingent on the impact that the Reserve Banks' cash rate has upon overall financial conditions," Mr Evans said today after the RBA cut the cash rate to 3.75%.
"A close read of the governor's statement does not reveal any strong arguments that would normally justify such a deviation from the usual policy of 25bp moves.
"Of course the major change in the data flow since the April board meeting was the lower than expected inflation print and the Reserve Bank does recognise that arguing 'inflation will probably be lower than earlier expected'.

Evans suggests future cuts will depend on the RBA's assessment of the likely impact of a change in the cash rate on financial conditions.
"Two variables are critical here: firstly the exchange rate and secondly private borrowing rates," Evans notes.
"On the exchange rate there is some concern that "the exchange rate remains high even though the terms of trade have declined somewhat".

"However, it is clear that the major source of concern for the Reserve Bank will be the response of the commercial banks to a change in the cash rate.

"In a recent paper the RBA has pointed out firstly that the most significant influence on lending rates was funding costs and secondly that over the last 12 months funding costs have risen by 20-25bps relative to the RBA cash rate.
"In other words, funding costs have not fallen by the full 50bp fall in the cash rate that we had seen in November and December.

"Our interpretation of that paper was the RBA is recognising that the impact of its cash rate on overall financial conditions is no longer as clear as it was prior to the global financial crisis."

Meanwhile analysts suggest Australia's big four banks are unlikely to pass the full 0.5% in official interest rates through to mortgage holders.
Westpac, National Australia Bank (NAB) and the Commonwealth (CBA) gave no immediate indication of their response to the Reserve Bank of Australia's lowering of the cash rate by a surprise 50 basis points to 3.75%, while ANZ are locked into their announcement next week.
<o:o:o:o:o:p></o:o:o:o:o:p><o:o:o:o:o:p>Evans notes w</o:o:o:o:o:p>hen "back in July last year, we forecast that the low point in the rate cycle would be 3.75% it was on the assumption that the degree of easing in financial conditions resulting from the cumulative 100bp rate cuts which were assumed in that forecast would be equivalent to double the level of easing, which occurred in November/December 2011 resulting from the cumulative 50-basis-point cut.
"If as the Reserve Bank itself clearly expects this total level of easing of financial conditions will undershoot the guidelines we saw in November/December then it is necessary for us to lower our cash rate target," he says.
 
 
 
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Interest rates to fall to 3.25% over 2012: shock prediction from Westpac economist Bill Evans

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Paul Bloxham, the chief economist at HSBC, says given the recent improvements in the labour market and business conditions, combined with the fact that rates are now at expansionary levels, the rate cut could be the end of the loosening cycle.
“The RBA surprised the market and economists by cutting by 50bps today, with most expecting only a 25bp cut,” he says, noting only two of 29 economists in the Bloomberg survey expected the cut.
And that the market had only 32bps priced in, suggesting pricing was for a less than one-third chance of a 50bp cut.
“This was the first cut that was larger than 25bps (aside from the post-Lehman's emergency cuts in 2008/09) in over a decade.
“With inflation no longer a constraint, the board clearly felt that they could afford to provide some further support for demand.
“As the statement notes 'economic conditions have been somewhat weaker than expected, while inflation has moderated',” he says.
“There was also an explicit nod to the fact that the RBA clearly does not expect that the full 50bps will be passed through to lending rates.
“The statement notes that a reduction of 50bps in the cash rate was, in this instance, therefore judged to be necessary in order to deliver the appropriate level of borrowing rates.
“Having cut by 50bps, the RBA now seems likely to stay on hold for a while.
“Indeed, given the recent improvements in the labour market and business conditions, combined with the fact that rates are now at expansionary levels, we think this could be the end of the loosening cycle,” he says.
 
 
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After the rate cut, RBA likely to stay on hold for a while: HSBC’s Paul Bloxham

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Residex chief John Edwards says the interest rate reduction is going to provide much-needed consumer confidence boost.
But Edwards does not expect the rate adjustment to cause "significant house price rises" in most markets due to unaffordability issues that will still remain.
“Without some form of stimulus, we would have been likely to continue seeing housing values decrease across much of Australia.
“Today’s RBA decision should stop the heavy adjustment process which would have otherwise been inevitable in the Melbourne market, and it will help push all markets which were passed the bottom of the correction phase”.
Edwards suggests depending on the content of the upcoming federal budget and its assessed impact, a further 25-basis-point adjustment could come in June.
Before the rate cut, Edwards suggested he did not expect "any dramatic upward pressure on housing values once the rate cut takes place."
"In many capital cities, even with a 0.5% cut in home loan rates (provided the banks pass it on in full), affordability will still be too difficult.
"Also, there is significant over supply in places like Melbourne and Adelaide, and in cities like Sydney there is a stock shortage which is reducing by the week.
"An interest rate reduction will improve affordability but the median house for the median income family in Sydney will still be out of reach, requiring about 60% of after tax income to make repayments.
"Consumers will still find home purchase difficult.
"Cities that have moved out of the correction phase or are moving to a positive outcome, and where the stock overhang is lower, the position will be better and encouraging.
"It will be units and the lower cost properties in the house and land market that will benefit most.
"Construction is slowing, as are approvals, so stock positions will become more difficult and we will see supply issues developing over the next two years," Mr Edwards said.
 
 
 
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House prices won't rise significantly but the big falls will cease after RBA interest rate cut: Residex boss John Edwards

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CommSec economist Craig James, the CommSec says the Reserve Bank will now sit back a few months and assess whether the super-sized rate cut actually works.
“CommSec is pencilling in another rate cut (0.25%) in August, should it be necessary.
“Forget the old stereotype of the Reserve Bank being a super-conservative body.
“This is a courageous decision by the Reserve Bank.
“Not only will the super-sized rate cut provide real stimulus, but it will also boost much-needed confidence.
“The Australian economy has been a lot like a long-distance runner.
“The long expansion has made the economy lean and mean, but it has lost muscle over time.
“Now is the time to muscle up – with the Reserve Bank implying that the economy can afford to beef up and confront the challenges that lie ahead,” James says.
Mortgage broker network 1300HomeLoan said the Reserve Bank’s decision to cut rates by 50 basis points today was the right move but long overdue.
Click to enlarge
<a href="/images/stories/commsecrates.gif" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/commsecratesthumb.gif"></a>
The 1300HomeLoan managing director John Kolenda says the 50-basis-point cut was the minimum required to boost consumer and business confidence, especially as the banks are unlikely to pass on the whole cut.
“The RBA’s decision to swallow its pride today and cut the cash rate by 50 basis points will finally make people sit up and take notice that the central bank is serious about the non-mining sectors of the economy,” Kolenda says.
“This is a good start, but the RBA will likely need to cut rates again by 25 basis points over the coming months to really deliver the economic shock treatment the economy has been crying out for.”
If banks pass on the full 50-basis-point cut, a borrower with a $300,000 loan at 7.25% over 25 years would save about $96 per month.
"If a borrower continued to repay their loan at the pre cash rate cut level, leaving the monthly savings of $96 in each repayment, it could save them $68,364 in total interest payable and may see them repay the loan two years and eight months earlier," says Mortgage Choice spokesperson Belinda Williamson.
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RBA interest rate cut 'courageous': Craig James

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

Buying into a masterplanned community often means committing to a vision still years from taking shape. At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a>, that vision is already visible.

Residents have moved into the completed first stage, landscaped spaces are established, and the next chapter is now underway. Stage 1 has been completed and settled, with Stage 2 now selling off-the-plan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> combines attainable apartment living with sustainability initiatives rarely seen at this price point, including rooftop solar, battery storage and a resident EV-sharing program.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6RNt3AvtBpI?si=JUhuCV2ZRXsYaoJZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Located on Schofi​elds Road, just moments from Tal​lawong Metro Station and Schof​ields Train Station, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been designed to appeal to a broad mix of buyers, from first-home purchasers looking for a foothold in Sy​dney's property market to downsizers seeking a connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> has been conceived as a thoughtfully planned masterplanned community that will evolve over multiple stages, with buyers now able to secure one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a neighbourhood that is already beginning to establish its identity.

One of the project's defining features is its focus on sustainability. Solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure have been incorporated throughout the development, reflecting a long-term approach to both environmental performance and everyday convenience.

Sustainability sits at the centre of the development's vision, with solar energy systems, battery storage and future EV charging infrastructure integrated throughout the community.

That emphasis on future-ready living extends beyond the technology. Landscaped communal gardens, outdoor gathering spaces and plans for a future retail precinct aim to create a neighbourhood where residents can access daily conveniences without travelling far from home.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149637 project_image_fid=351027]

The apartments themselves have been designed with liveability front of mind. Rather than chasing maximum density, the focus has been placed on creating practical homes with generous natural light, usable layouts and strong connections to outdoor space.

Importantly, these design principles have been applied consistently across the one, two and three-bedroom apartment offerings.

The appeal of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> is also closely linked to its location within Syd​ney's rapidly evolving north-west growth corridor. Over the past decade, major infrastructure investment has transformed the area, with new transport links, business precincts and community facilities reshaping suburbs like Talla​wong and Schofiel​ds.

The agent says buyers are increasingly recognising the area's long-term potential.

"Typical buyers that we're finding across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-tallawong-23-27-schofields-road-tallawong-nsw-2762">Kew Tallawong</a> especially are your first-home buyers, your investors, your upsizers as well as your downsizers," Hawes says.

Connectivity remains one of the project's strongest drawcards. Residents have access to both Tallaw​ong Metro Station and Schofi​elds Train Station, providing links to the Sydn​ey CBD, Norw​est Business Park, Macquari​e Park and other major employment hubs. Retail centres including Rous​e Hill Town Centre and Sch​ofields Village are also nearby, alongside schools, parks and future healthcare infrastructure.

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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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will deliver a mix of waterfront residences and terraces, complemented by a private 36-berth marina, waterfront dining opportunities and a revitalised foreshore designed to reconnect the community with the river's edge. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said the project represented a rare opportunity to create the next chapter in Sydn​ey's long history of successful waterfront precincts. 
&nbsp; 
"Throughout Sydney, some of the city's most sought-after addresses have emerged from carefully considered waterfront precincts such as Woolloom​ooloo Wharf, Walsh Bay and Breakfast Point," Brown said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362566] 
&nbsp; 
"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

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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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