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Kevin Rudd’s housing initiative – the first-home saver account (FHSA) incentive – is gaining traction among first-home buyers, despite the abandonment of the scheme by the Commonwealth and ANZ banks.
The scheme, which was a major election initiative of the incoming Rudd government in 2007, now has 33,000 account holders, according to the latest figures from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.
During the first nine months of 2011, the scheme attracted more than 7,400 new account holders.
As of September 2011, there were 33,000 FHSA accounts, up 87% since March 2010. There’s an average $7600 in each account, for a combined total of $251 million.
But the tally is unlikely to ever reach the scheme’s target of 700,000 first-home savers. It was envisaged for 2012.
The take-up of the savings scheme was clouded by the first-home owner boost scheme, which ran from October 2008 to the end of 2009 and encouraged first-home buyers to purchase a home sooner rather than save.
The increase has come despite the Commonwealth Bank, the nation's largest home lender, dumping the scheme in August, and the ANZ ceasing to take any new savings accounts in October last year.
There are 16 financial institutions offering the accounts, mostly credit unions. The CBA and ANZ were the only two of the big four to take up the initiative, leaving first-home buyers to go to only the ME Bank and AMP Bank.
The credit unions offering the accounts include Teachers Credit, Hume Building Society, Credit Union SA and the Big Sky Credit Union.
The scheme aims to help first-time buyers save for a deposit for their first homes.  Under the FHSA, the government contributes 17% on the first $5,500 of individual contributions made each year. Account holders are required to keep savings in the FHSA for four financial years before they can use the funds to buy a home.
The government amended the scheme last May to allow savings in an account to be paid into an approved mortgage after the end of a minimum four-year qualifying period, rather than requiring the money to be paid into a superannuation account.
Under the original policy, if the account holder bought a home before the end of that four-year period, the balance of their account was required to be transferred into the borrower’s superannuation fund so that it remained in a concessionally taxed environment.
In April 2008 the then prime minister conceded the scheme’s design was "complex".
Responding to submissions to a Treasury inquiry that argued the accounts were complex, Rudd said: "We don't pretend to get everything right on the first chop.”
"We're going to see what the public's got to say through these submissions and we'll finalise the design."
When the much-vaunted first home saver account schemes open in October 2008, the consumer group Choice noted the CBA was offering a return below the cash rate.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Kevin Rudd’s first-home saver account initiative gaining traction, despite banks’ exit 

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Advantage Property Consulting boss Frank Valentic said there was room for cautious optimism after the Saturday, February 25 Melbourne auctions.

 
 
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Cautious optimism in Melbourne market: Quote of the week

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Former model Simone Warne-Callahan has relisted her clifftop Mornington Peninsula retreat, Clahane.
The former wife of cricketer Shane Warne wants $1.5 million plus for the four-bedroom, 332-square-metre Arthurs Seat house this time.
She’d initially sought $2 million in early 2010, which was subsequently revised to $1.59 million-plus hopes.
It was last traded in 2008 at $1,225,000.
The 4,700-square-metre property comes with self-contained guest accommodation, tennis court and swimming pool. There’s a 100,000-litre water tank that services the established gardens.
There are sweeping views towards the CBD and over the Mornington Peninsula from the renovated single-level Scenic Place house, which had its Fasham-Johnson-makeover done before its last sale.
It’s listed through Harcourts Rosebud agent Grant McConnell, who will put Clahane to March 24 auction.
Callahan, a former model and Dancing with the Stars contestant (2006), now partners with part-time model Toby Roberts, son of 1958 Brownlow medallist Neil Roberts.
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Simone Warne hopes third listing lucky for Mornington Peninsula retreat: Title Tattle

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Well-known Cooma livestock and property agent Bill Wilkinson has been jailed for an eight-month non-parole period after being found guilty of six offences of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception involving the funds of his business clients.
Bill Wilkinson of Bill Wilkinson Agencies Pty Ltd (BWA) was sentenced by magistrate Chris Bone earlier this month.
A statement of facts tendered to the court said that eight creditors of BWA suffered a total loss of $1,294,576.
It was estimated that Wilkinson advanced $3.7 million to Denis Fing, an Australian citizen in Africa according to the Cooma Monaro Express, with no return over a five-year period in a Ponzi scheme.
Wilkinson deposited the money into what was described as a Nigerian loans or a Ponzi scheme, over the five years although the offences for which he was jailed occurred between February and October 2010. Fing has been named as involved in lottery fraud in international websites.
The court heard that Wilkinson through his business, BWA, continued to make deposits into the scam, which was the motivating factor for his deceitful and fraudulent conduct.
In addition to BWA creditors, Wilkinson borrowed $700,000 from his daughter to support his deposits into the scam, which he also lost.
His company was placed into administration in October 2010, with 11 of the 22 creditors attending the initial creditors meeting. As he had been in the livestock agency business for more than 40 years, most of them in Cooma, the news of the agency’s collapse sent shock waves through the industry. Chief executive of the Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association Andy Madigan could recall only two other cases in the last 35 years.
The creditors included Braidwood Cattle Co, which claimed $164,000. Clea Patroral Company was listed as being owed $240,000. EBH Pty was listed as being owed $222,000, the NAB was owed $340,000, South Bukalong Pastoral was listed as being owed $279,000 and the estate of the late Charlie Mueller listed as being owed $151,000.
Wilkinson will be due for release on October 9, 2012.
Wilkinson, who made full admissions and was very remorseful, was unable to attend the initial creditors’ meeting due to ill health.
He had worked in the industry for 44 years and had traded as Bill Wilkinson Agencies since February 1993.
Cooma liquidator Chris Chamberlain made brief contact with Denis Fing but has since been able to contact him <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=195147">after reports that he had been allegedly kidnapped in Nigeria</a>.
It is understood Bill Wilkinson was among many Australian victims of the Ponzi scheme.
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NSW livestock and property agent caught in Nigerian Ponzi web gets eight months' jail

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The new chief executive at the Bank of Queensland Stuart Grimshaw and Susanne Grimshaw have listed their Killara residence following his posting to the Bank of Queensland. Grimshaw, who paid $3.5 million in 2003 for the 1,929-square-metre Fiddens Wharf Road estate, started out in the ANZ graduate program in 1983, before spending two years as a teller.  He left the Commonwealth in 2009 to head up the $2 billion institutional funds house Caledonia. More than $4 million is being quoted by its listing agent Scott Farquhar at McGrath Lindfield.  Stuart Grimshaw doesn’t yet appear to have purchased any new Brisbane home, but he has owned north of the border since 2001 given his $1.15 million Noosa acquisition.
<img src="/images/stories/keposstredfern2.jpg">
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">Peter Everett, who was the ebullient host of Ready Steady Cook, the Channel Ten afternoon cooking show, has sold his East Redfern residence (pictured above and below) for $1.4 million through Pauline Goodyer and Brighid Fitzsimons at GoodyerDonnelley. The stately Victorian terrace retains its original façade, but the interior of the house has been completely rebuilt by a master builder. Everett, who has maintained his hand at interior décor, had bought the Kepos Street terrace for $780,000 in 2004.
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It now comes with three bedrooms and two bathrooms following its substantial renovation in 2008. Goodyer had been seeking $1.35 million since Christmas for the three level terrace. Everett’s dumping from the Channel 10 show still resonates through the industry as David Knox at the TV Tonight website wrote earlier this month that Colin Lane replacing Peter Everett had been “a move that generated a huge backlash from the audience.”
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<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">The veteran radio industry executive Brad March, who now heads Marchmedia, has his oceanfront Dover Heights clifftop (pictured above and below) listed for sale through Ray White Double Bay agent Michael Finger. About $5.5 million is expected at its March 22 auction. The six-bedroom Lancaster Road house is set on a 708 square metre block with a pool. It’s been his home since he paid $2 million in 1998. 
<img src="/images/stories/lancaster2.jpg">
Over the years March identified key talent including Wendy Harmer, Andrew Denton, Amanda Keller, Sonia Kruger, Eddie McGuire, Rove McManus, Jamie Dunn, Kyle and Jackie O, Adam Hills, Tracy Bartrum, Matt Tilley, Judith Lucy, Dave Hughes, Brigitte Duclos, James Brayshaw, Tony Martin and Mick Molloy, to name a few. March was appointed to the Austereo board in 1996 and its group managing director in 1997 at age 37.
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<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">The Channel 7 Morning Show co-host Larry Emdur and his wife, Sylvie, appear to have withdrawn their redundant Dover Heights residence (pictured above) from sale. It’s fallen off listing websites, and doesn't appear on the McGrath sales list either. Its late 2011 listing followed their recent $6.8 million <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/larry-edmur-says-good-morning-to-breathtaking-cliff-top-property/2011090251402">upgrading to a nearby mansion with dramatic oceanfront cliff-top views over the Pacific Ocean</a>. The Emdurs have owned at Dover Heights since 1994, when they spent $770,000. The McGrath listing agent Bethwyn Richards, who described the listing as a contemporary house remaining true to its classic P and O-style heritage, had estimated it would fetch more than $5 million.
 
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<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">Marc Cuming, a private client adviser at Macquarie Bank, and his wife, the philanthropic Caroline Riddell-Clark, have listed their quaintly fronted Elwood (pictured above) residence. The Melbourne couple are seeking $2.75?million plus for the Ormond Esplanade renovated period home. It sits close to the beach on an 800-square-metre block. Kay and Burton agents Alex Schiavo and Ross Savas have the listing. Title tattle recalls the couple's last house was the 1883 LaLuma in Elsternwick.
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<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">Hollywood production company director Jason Schepisi is looking for $2.4 million for his three-hectare Byron hinterland estate (pictured above) at its April 14 auction through Nicolette van Wijngaarden of Unique Estates. The five-bedroom Newrybar house has three living rooms with interiors by Christian Liaigre, who did the décor for Rosehearty, the Murdoch family’s yacht. There’s a saltwater pool in the three hectare grounds which is a stroll from dining at Harvest Cafe and the day spa at Gaia Retreat. “The owners are relocating to New York immediately and their instructed price guide of only $2.4 million will ensure this stunning estate will sell on or before the auction,” van Wijngaarden said.  Schepisi sold his previous Byron Bay retreat for $2.8 million, which was a Richard Neutra-inspired, Palm Springs-style, three-bedroom Brooklet hinterland house.
<img src="/images/stories/overcliffe.jpg">
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">Bob and Helen Hargreaves, who were the 1985 founders of Le Forge, the hand-forged furniture manufacturers, have listed their historic Victoria Street residence, Overcliffe (pictured above and below). It’s the 1876 Potts Point cottage of master mariner George Kenny. The landmark house was restored by the Fink family, who built a modern rear three-storey extension designed by architects Clinton Murray and Shelley Penn. Leon Fink had secured permission to substantially demolish the timber cottage but then thankfully had second thoughts for the 299-square-metre block. Title Tattle recalls that before Fink it was the barrister Charles Waterstreet who bought the cottage in 1980 for $112,000, selling it reluctantly to the Fink family for $842,000 in 1988. It was the house briefly in the headlines when actress Kate Fitzpatrick unsuccessfully sought Supreme Court orders in 1996 claiming a 10% stake dating back to her relationship with Waterstreet between 1979 and 1982.
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Overcliffe has been listed through Richardson and Wrench agents Jason Boon and Geoff Cox with $3.7 million-plus hopes. It last traded at a somewhat discounted $3.1 million in 2009. Given the marketing appears with photos of wisteria and frangipanis, the agents must have had their cameras posed when the garden was in full bloom.
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<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">The Palm Beach property (pictured above) owned by the Goondiwindi cotton farmer David Coulton and his wife Kim – passed in on a vendor bid of $2 million at auction last November – has been sold. They had been seeking $2.15 million through Gordon Archibald of LJ Hooker Newport. “The rural owners of this outstanding property have indicated that they are prepared to meet the market,” the marketing material advised. For many years, the Pacific Road house was the abode of David Coulton's 51-year-old brother, Mark Coulton.
Last week drug charges against Mark Coulton, a well-known Palm Beach identity, were dropped by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. Mark Coulton had been charged last October with being the ringleader of a group conspiring to import a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. The charges were dropped after the police were unable to specify what type of substance or the quantity. Magistrate Graeme Curran said in Downing Centre Local Court he had no doubt there was "something fishy going on", but police jumped the gun by arresting Mark Coulton before establishing what the substance was. Mark Coulton is now asking the police to pay his legal costs. At his October bail hearing last year his barrister Charles Waterstreet said his client had never previously faced drug charges. He was granted bail after his brother-in-law Don Grieve and sister Dixie, a former deputy lord mayor, offered to forfeit $1 million if Mark Coulton failed to comply with his bail conditions. On top of their million-dollar surety, his bail conditions stipulate that Mark Coulton had to live with the couple in their Paddington home until the matter returns to court this month. 
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<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">With plans to return to Santa Cruz in the US, Vivian and Richard Arnold have sold their Ken Woolley-designed Duffys Forest residence (pictured above). The four-bedroom house had been listed through the LJ Hooker Terrey Hills agent Kevin Packham with $3.5 million hopes. About $3 million was achieved for the residence set on a 2,044-square-metre fan-shaped block bordering a lake and the fairways and greens of Terrey Hills Golf and Country Club. The cul-de-sac house has a family living area that opens to an outdoor living-dining terrace overlooking the in-ground swimming pool, lake and golf course. It last traded in 2002 at $2.7 million.
 
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<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">The Potts Point investment apartment (pictured above) of actor Russell Crowe – bought for $1.5 million in 2001 – has been relisted for sale. Around $2 million is tipped for the top-floor apartment through Brad Pillinger at Pillinger Property. More than $2 million was being sought on its initial October listing. Crowe was seemingly captivated by charm of Victoria Street – with the western sunlight filtering through the plane tree-lined Parisian-style strip, when it was bought in 2001 from the theatre director Jim Sharman. Sharman had bought it in 1984 for $310,000.
<img src="/images/stories/vicstpotts.jpg">
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">Just up Victoria Street, Walker Corporation’s national sales manager Don Carvalho has listed his Hordern Place investment apartment for March 17 auction.  With Opera House and Harbour Bridge views, the Potts Point unit (pictured above) was bought in 1999 as an investment with holiday rental of $180 to $250 per day for many years and the more recently as a $600 a week-long term rental. It’s a one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit with car space list through Matthew Carvalho at BresicWhitney Estate Agents.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/feb24lindag]}
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">It’s the kitchen that truly impresses in the latest offering on Kooyongkoot Road, Hawthorn (pictured above). It’s the cooking domain of well-known foodie Linda George and her husband, Peter, who’s an executive at headhunting firm Talent2. Linda has won numerous awards for her cookbooks. The six-bedroom Italianate Victorian mansion-style residence was constructed after the 1,250-square-metre block cost $855,000 in 1998. It has been listed through Michael Armstrong at Kay and Burton with $6 million-plus hopes. It’s the second major listing on the road in recent weeks, the other being a more pricier offering.
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<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">Russell Skerritt, the long-time board director of the Australian Nursing Home and Extended Care Association, and his wife, Patricia, have emerged as the buyers of the Cremorne Point apartment (pictured above) sold by investment funds manager Chris Cuffe for about $6.7 million at its private invitation auction in September last year through Belle Property Mosman's Tim Foote. In a boutique secure building on Milson Road at the tip of Cremorne Point, the three-bedroom apartment had been on the market since January, when it was listed with $8.75 million hopes. The 375-square-metre apartment with views to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge traded at $6.05 million in 2003. The Skerritts have sold their nearby Federation home through Foote at a still undisclosed price. It was bought for $3.16 million from the Jaggard jewellery family in 2004. The two-storey, strata-titled terrace built 14 years ago, has 369 square metres of floor space.
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<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">Mike Crivelli, the chairman of Perennial Investment Partners, and his horticulturist wife, Sue, have sold their Pomeroy, Potts Point apartment (pictured above). It was listed in October last year with price hopes of more than $7 million through Richardson and Wrench agents Jason Boon and Geoff Cox who apparently secured spot on $7 million. The seventh-floor north-east corner four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment has wide terraces and views of Sydney Harbour. The Crivellis bought the Winten-built apartment off the plan for $4.5 million in 2002 and then they worked with the building's architect, Susan Rothwell, to configure it to their specifications. In 2003 just before its completion the merchant banker sold his Longueville mansion, Kara, after 25 years’ ownership, for $4,237,500.
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<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">Mark Warburton, who has been head of equity capital markets in Asia for Macquarie Bank and based in Singapore since late 2007, has sold his $2,735,000 at Macmasters Beach property (pictured above) for $2.55 million. The contemporary four-bedroom, three-bathroom beachfront home with views from Second Point to Copacabana Beach last traded in 2008 when it had been on and off the market since late 2006 with $4 million hopes.
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<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">Title Tattle aims to tell you first – often before it happens – so the official sale price paid by Ros Oatley-Lambert, the former wife of the former Southcorp wine chief Keith Lambert, for her neighbouring Balmoral harbourfront property, Kahala (architect's impression above), was registered mid-week. It was $19 million with the suggestions it was all about seeking <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/billioniare-oatley-wine-family-snaps-up-kahala-for-the-best-of-balmoral-s-boating-facilities/2011112852575">to improve her garden and boating facilities</a>. The 1,485-square-metre Hopetoun Avenue acquisition was sold by Albert Bertini, the flamboyant property developer. Title Tattle had speculated the price was above $18 million, perhaps just shy of $19 million, when news of its sale broke on Property Observer last November. The subsequent newspaper reports were a little wayward, suggesting it was a $20 million sale through Raine and Horne agent Brendan Warner.
Bertini and his former wife, Heather, bought Kahala from the successful veteran property developer Phil Arnold for $22.5 million in pre-global financial crisis 2007. Arnold paid $380,000 for the estate when it was sold by Lady (Delzie) Hooker, the widow of the real estate tycoon Sir Leslie Hooker, whose ashes are buried on the foreshore rocks. In 1940, Les Hooker paid £3,050 for the property and during the 1950s he built a three-level house and a boatshed. Bertini started works to rebuild the house as well as two pools, garaging for eight cars and a $1 million tunnel with a lift to the boatshed. The Oatley viticulture family, who sold their Rosemount wine business to Fosters in 2001 for $1.4 billion, paid a then record $15.5 million for their Balmoral residence, Rivendell, which has limited boating facilities, when it sold through Richardson and Wrench Mosman agent Robert Simeon. Rivendell is a 2,000-square-metre double block. 
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg">And lastly Title Tattle can report another very rare transaction - house swapping. Toni Collette was last week's unusual house swap play at Bronte. This week it's in Bellevue Hill, where David and Jaclyn Gazal have spent $12 million to upgrade to a six-bedroom house on a 2,148-square-metre Victoria Road holding. The sellers, Lloyd and Simone Berger, have then bought the Gazals' smaller house on Fairweather Street for $5 million. Let Title Tattle know if you know of another so we can complete the trifecta!
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Russell Crowe re-lists his Potts Point investment apartment:Title Tattle

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The record-setting $5.71 million Surry Hills, Sydney warehouse sale by businessman Neville Miles and his artist wife Beryl topped the prices in the year's first bumper weekend of capital city auctions.
It's McGrath selling agents Ben Collier and Andrew Hackett had been seeking $5 million plus for the Bennett Place warehouse, which dates back to the 1870s.
It's been extensively renovated by Hare + Klein since the 247-square-metre holding that spans three levels last sold at $3.1 million in early 2009.
Vendors and agents were hoping auctions got a wiggle on the weekend.
Volumes were up, and Melbourne's success rate, which has been a bit wobbly so far in February was 62% on initial results, and 63% after Sunday's results, bettering the 57% in the prior weekend.
"In light of the increased number of auctions this result provides an indication that demand is gradually improving this year," REIV chief Enzo Raimondo says.
Despite a negative forecast from the SMH property editor, Sydney also secured a slight improvement too with its 56% success rate - on initial returns - bettering the 54% of the previous weekend, according to Australian Property Monitors.
Both capital city results could come down slightly once the final results come in, but the industry will be happy that the weekend with the first big boost in auction numbers also brought sufficient buying demand that was steady or better than in the previous three weeks.
SQM managing director and industry commentator Louis Christopher today urged higher same-day reporting rates to ensure buyers and sellers get a better indication of market direction.
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John Edwards' Residex indicated its 90% collection of all auction sales across NSW for the week ending February 25 showed a 52% clearance rate for the Sydney metro (51% in the week prior) and 40% in NSW regions (34% in the week prior).
The McGrath agency secured a 56% success rate from its 125 NSW Saturday auction listings. 
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Hocking Stuart's Anna Perry noted the Armadale office's four out of four sale in the 38 degree Melbourne heat.
Buxton auctioneer Matthew Young secured five sales from his five Melbourne auctions, although the Foam Street, Elwood listing was sold for $1,341,000 shortly after being passed in at $1,325,000.
The Real Estate Institute of Victoria was expecting around 880 auctions. The highest number of auctions will be held in Prahran (17), Richmond (15) and South Yarra (15).
With a full month’s auction volumes now known, Robert Larocca at the REIV says it is now apparent that the overall number of February listings is about 17% below the average between 2007 and 2011.
This year there will be about 1,900 auctions in February, compared with the five-year average of 2,285.
Melbourne buyers' agent Mal James noted for the second week in a row there was "some spark in the market". But noting eight of the top 10 reported auctions over $2.5 million were passed in, James suggests "we are not saying there is any fire, just isolated sparks".
Australian Property Monitors had 494 auctions on its scheduled Sydney list. It’s 21% down on the same time last year according, to Clinton McNabb, the APM research analyst.
The highest number of auctions in Sydney were held in Strathfield (12), Mosman (10), Kensington (nine) and Randwick (nine).
Simon Pryce, who works for The Wiggles as Ringo the Ringmaster, has sold his Coogee Art Deco apartment before this weekend’s scheduled auction. It was listed through McGrath agent Kel Gray, and Pryce was aiming for more than $625,000 for the apartment, which last traded for $470,000 in 2002. It’s understood to have sold at about $650,000.
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Auction success rate gets a bounce in first big weekend test

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The trend towards slimmer and shorter building blocks has prompted the Metricon home building company to unveil 19 new home designs.
They are mostly suited to smaller frontage and depth land sizes, reflecting developer trends towards smaller, narrower blocks.
New <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/land/melbourne-median-new-lot-size-falls-below-400-square-metres-oliver-hume/2012022053455">Melbourne median residential lots sizes have fallen fell below 400 square metres</a> for the first time.
“It’s very important that current trends in land sizes don’t impact on our ability to deliver spacious, light-filled homes that offer the flexibility modern families need to really love where they live,” Metricon’s head of design Adrian Popple says.
It’s one of the largest releases ever made by Metricon, Australia’s leading home builder. The designs have been added to their Allegra, Freedom and Designer range of homes.
The new releases in the Allegra range, 12 in total, include the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.metricon.com.au/melbourne/homes/alpha">Alpha, a compact entry-level home maximising available space,</a> available from just 16 squares (149 square metres), yet with three-bedroom living.
Metricon marketing general manager Yvonne Abood described the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.metricon.com.au/melbourne/homes/breeze">Breeze home within its Freedom range</a> as “an especially remarkable achievement by our designers, as no comfort is sacrificed to create luxury two-storey living on the narrowest of home sites”.
She expects the Breeze design to be very helpful for the smallest blocks made available in large developments, but also for knockdown rebuild sites.
The Breeze, with a side portico entry, comes with three bedrooms, with the ability to fit on a narrow 8.5-metre wide block.
The company dates back to 1976.
 
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Smaller lot sizes prompt Metricon to maximise space in 19 new designs

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The North Epping home where five members of the Lin family were murdered has been listed for March 22 auction.
North Nor'West Property, the estate agency that sold the property to the Lin family in October 2001 for $575,000, has been appointed as the listing agents by the New South Wales Trustee and Guardian, which manages the estate.
Mark Ward, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.northnorwest.com.au/index.cfm?pagecall=property&amp;propertyID=1968226">the agent handling the Boundary Road sale</a>, says prices for comparable properties are in the $900,000 to $950,000 range.
But there is expected to be a discount secured by its buyer.
The property falls well into the requirement of NSW law requiring disclosure of "some material facts" about properties that would not be obvious to potential buyers.
It covers "potential psychological stigma attached to a property, which is likely to be shared by a significant proportion of the population".
Buyers’ agent Tim Mansfield says selling agents <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/murder-and-mayhem-what-an-agent-should-disclose-if-a-property-has-an-unsavoury-past/2012021953438" target="_blank">have a duty to tell buyers if a property has an unsavoury past</a>.
 
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North Epping home where Lin family was murdered listed for March auction

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Mainland buyers constituted some 13% of sales in Tasmania during the December quarter, according to the Real Estate Institute of Tasmania (REIT) property report.
Tasmania’s median price was $305,000 and Hobart’s median price sat at $365,000 during the period.
The annual price change for the island and its capital city were both down about 4.6%.
During the quarter there were 442 sales with properties typically sitting on market for 55 days, compared with 43 in the December 2010 quarter.
The REIT report splits the suburbs of Hobart into three areas – inner, middle and outer.
Hobart inner had a median price of $471,310, Hobart middle had a median price of $320,000, and Hobart outer had a median price of $345,000.
Launceston’s median was $280,000, an increase for the quarter of 3.7% and annual change of 1.8%.
Top 10 Most Expensive Tasmanian Suburbs/Towns for the December Quarter 1. East Launceston, Launceston ($690,000, 5 sales) 2. Tranmere, Hobart Middle ($665,000, 5 sales) 3. Sandy Bay, Hobart Inner ($642,500, 44 sales) 4. Acton Park, Hobart Middle ($630,000, 7 sales) 5. Mount Nelson, Hobart Inner ($600,000, 5 sales) 6. Battery Point, Hobart Inner ($582,500, 6 sales) 7. Taroona, Hobart Inner ($530,000), 7 sales) 8. Seven Mile Beach, Hobart Middle ($515,000, 5 sales) 9. West Hobart, Hobart Inner ($470,000, 19 sales) 10. Dynnyrne, Hobart Inner ($460,000, 5 sales)
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Mainland buyers account for 13% of Tasmanian sales: REIT

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New research indicates Brisbane property investors are the strongest buyers in their own backyard.
As investment activity returns to the city, PRDnationwide has found some 86% of recent property investors are Queenslanders.
The company's research director, Aaron Maskrey, says most of the property investors in the city came from inner-city suburbs, and they often chose to invest in the same suburbs.
At 7% New South Wales accounted for the second highest level of investors in the Brisbane market.
Only 1% of investor sales were to foreign property investors.
The majority of the investor spend occurred within the inner-city suburbs, with the CBD registering the most at $94.5 million.
This was followed by Newstead and New Farm, achieving $85.9 million and $42.3 million respectively.
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The top three suburbs to receive the most investor spend remained the same from the previous year.
Investment inside the Brisbane CBD decreased by 17% from the previous year, while New Farm experienced a significant decline of 49%.
Newstead however, increased by 18% in total investment spend.
The PRD study found total investor sales in Brisbane had decreased from the previous year from 5,036, to 3,865, equating to a decrease of 23%.
However, it notes the final number of settled investor sales is yet to be determined for the six-month October 2011 period as a portion of sales have yet to settle.
It suggested many acquisitions from off-the-plan apartment developments will likely settle over the next three to 12 months, reducing the decreased sales percentage figure provided.
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Although housing stock is higher priced than unit stock and typically provides a lower gross yield, when closely analysed it is determined that approximately 50% of investors have purchased units, and the other half bought houses.
The majority of investors who bought a free-standing home did so in the suburb of Forest Lake over the six-month period ending October 2011, registering 55 house sales.
This was followed by Wynnum (34), Coorparoo (33) and Bracken Ridge (32). When observing the previous year, Inala recorded the most house sales at 62, followed by Forest Lake (61) and Wynnum (48).
When observing the top 20 house suburbs, an overriding trend of affordability appears.
The majority of the top 20 suburbs are located in the middle to outer Brisbane, allowing for investors to capitalise on more affordable house prices, which in turn may lead to greater yields.
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Queenslanders snap up Brisbane investments - with an even split between unit and house purchases

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">PERIFA</a> have celebrated the topping out of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf,</a> marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of Syd​ney's most anticipated waterfront communities.

Located on Sydney's harbourfront at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/putney-nsw-2112">Putney</a>, the project has now reached its highest structural point, with construction progressing strongly towards completion in 2027. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone was celebrated on-site with project partners Phoenix Property Investors, Mitsubishi Estate Asia, Versatile Construction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, consultants and stakeholders, to recognise the collective effort behind the transformation of the historic waterfront site into a vibrant new residential, marina and lifestyle destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will deliver a mix of waterfront residences and terraces, complemented by a private 36-berth marina, waterfront dining opportunities and a revitalised foreshore designed to reconnect the community with the river's edge. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said the project represented a rare opportunity to create the next chapter in Sydn​ey's long history of successful waterfront precincts. 
&nbsp; 
"Throughout Sydney, some of the city's most sought-after addresses have emerged from carefully considered waterfront precincts such as Woolloom​ooloo Wharf, Walsh Bay and Breakfast Point," Brown said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362566] 
&nbsp; 
"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362564] 
&nbsp; 
PERIFA Founder and Managing Director Fabrizio Perilli said the project reflected a shared commitment to delivering exceptional places that create long-term value for residents and the broader community. 
&nbsp; 
"The topping out milestone is a significant achievement for the Versatile Group and a testament to the collaboration between all project partners, consultants and contractors involved," Perilli said. 
&nbsp; 
"Beyond the residences themselves, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will establish a new waterfront destination that celebrates the history, character and lifestyle of this unique location while creating a lasting legacy for future generations."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=291195] 
&nbsp; 
Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile">Versatile Construction</a>, with structural works now substantially complete across the precinct. Attention will progressively shift to the construction of the waterview terraces, apartment façades, services and interior fit-out works over the coming months. 
&nbsp; 
With limited residences and marina berths remaining, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> continues to attract strong interest from owner occupiers and downsizers seeking a premium waterfront lifestyle within close proximity to Putne​y Village, Rh​odes, Top Ry​de and the Syd​ney CBD. 
&nbsp; 
As one of the last opportunities to secure a residence within a new masterplanned waterfront community on Sy​dney Harbour, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is expected to remain a highly sought-after address for years to come.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=13962]

Jonathan Chancellor

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