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There's whispers the Elsternwick-based Kogan founder Ruslan Kogan has paid a record $38.8 million Toorak house price.
The Herald Sun reported the sale occurred at a private off-market auction last Thursday night.
Three parties were involved in the auction, with Kogan.com founder and chief executive Ruslan Kogan taking the keys to the three block, 2,600 sqm property.
Marshall White agents Marcus Chiminello and Richard Mackinnon reportedly secured the sale, but declined to comment.
The reputed off market $38.8 million price doesn't make the cut as the Melbourne record as that was likely secured with the yet to settle $52.5 million sale by art dealer Rod Menzies for his mansion Stonington in Malvern.
The seller of the French-inspired sandstone mansion was telecommunications investor Philip Cornish.
The Toorak record stood at $38 million for 18 St Georges Road.
The AFR reported the latest record price did not meet the initial off market $45 million asking price. 
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Record $38.8 million Toorak sale to Ruslan Kogan 

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The publicly listed Perth-based real estate and financial services group, The Agency Group, formerly known as Ausnet, has dropped their underwriter for the proposed 550 million share issue which was to help buy a burgeoning Sydney based estate agency.
The company announced it had dropped the underwriter, CPS Capital Group, just seven weeks after their appointment which advised "the acquisition of Top Level was firmly on track."
The proposed raising of $10 million at 2 cents a share was to be used to assist the acquisition of Top Level Real Estate, trading under licence as the The Agency East Coast which is headed by Matt Lahood, and other McGrath rebels, Ben Collier, Shad Hassen and Stephen Chen.
The shares were trading at 1.6 cents today, as boss Paul Niardone indicated he hoped the termination allowed for "greater scope and additional capacity to raise additional funding."
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/4/26/AgencyGroup1.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
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Attempting to become a national group, The Agency which is headed by Paul Niardone, saw its shares initially close down by 12 per cent at 1.5 cents.
The Fairfax Media business gossip column, CBD published an unconfirmed suggestion The Agency principals "have had to stump up their own cash to keep the operation afloat."
The Perth-originated Ausnet leadership have long aspired to secure the east coasters, but been unable to pull it off.
The last official update had indicated the east coast Top Level with some 90 agents was achieving "exceptional results."
The shareholders were told the east coast team had 380 settled sales, for the 11 month period from April 2017. 
It had "achieved exceptional results with total sales of $695 million, total commissions of $10.2 million and 380 settlements for the year up to March 2018." 
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/4/26/Agency_Comms.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
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The Agency Group utilised the shell company Namibian Copper, for its late 2016 ASX listing as Ausnet. The company raised $5.8 million as part of a backdoor listing and recapitalisation with shares initially trading at 3.3 cents on its 2016 listing. They shortly after hit 4 cents after the raising jointly underwritten by Patersons Securities and Transocean Securities and backed by retail finance broker Finsure Group, which took an initial 8 per cent stake in Ausnet. 
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/4/26/AgencyWA.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
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The group has expanded mostly in WA with the SLP group now incorporated into its results.
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The Agency opened the doors of its Bondi Beach office early last year, billed as a “disruptive and fast growing real estate sales and property management business.”
It represented an experimental break from the traditional franchise model - aiming to be a true one-stop shop offering selling agents, property management services, as well as mortgage-broking services, settlement agents and insurance brokers. The stockmarket has been told agents have been referring around 60% of all sales for financing broking.
But the big difference was in contrast to the traditional franchise agency model, The Agency offered lucrative commission splits for the agents.
Franchise agencies usually take a 50:50 split on all the agents’ sales commissions, rarely with more generous 60:40 splits in the agents’ favour.However, The Agency offered agents a starting split of 75:25 split in the agents’ favour, rising to 80:20 and 85:15 as and when higher targets were met.
Agents are also offered a buy-in on the property management income stream.
That split lured top-performing selling agents away from leading east coast franchise groups.
On the announcement of CPS agreeing to get The Agency's fundraising underway, Paul Niardone said CPS Capital Group had "a strong track record of fundraising success and to have them support our capital raising is a significant milestone in the advancement of this transaction.
“We recently undertook a roadshow to meet with, and present to, a range of Australian small cap funds, institutions, and received overwhelmingly positive feedback."
But is appears the group is struggling to get east coast credibility. Established in 1996, its aim has been to become the "most reliable and trusted real estate and financial services company in the Asia Pacific region."
Subject to successful completion of the proposed capital raising, CPS Capital Group was to receive 6% of the underwritten amount, plus 2,000,000 ordinary shares in the company.
(An earlier version of this article indicated the Agency had lost its underwriter. It actually terminated its underwriter.)
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The Agency looking again for underwriter to help buy the McGrath rebels

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After another spray from the Federal Court, the Mossgreen administrators have thrown in the towel, telling the no-pushover owners of $5 million worth of art and antiques that their insurance coverage had lapsed.
The letter sent by the BDO administrators on Anzac Eve stunned clients, already angered at the way the administration had been undertaken ever since their appointment just prior to Christmas. 
BDO have advised the auction house clients to help themselves to their stored contents, though not to come through the besieged accountancy firm which had expended a $1 million stocktake that the Federal Court described as "intermeddling".
BDO sent an update today to consignors of Mossgreen. The second creditors' meeting has been decided as May 4. Secured creditors have been advised their payment is likely to be 2 cents in the dollar.
"The voluntary administrators are without funds to meet the ongoing expenses of preserving and facilitating the return of goods," James White, the admonished BDO administrator advised all Mossgreen clients by email on Thursday.
"Consequently, the voluntary administrators are no longer in a position to retain the company’s remaining two leasehold premises and have no alternative but to arrange for possession of those premises to be returned to their respective landlords, as of close of business, Monday, 23 April 2018.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/4/24/MOSS_LETTER.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
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"It will now be up to the landlords of those premises to co-ordinate the return of your consigned goods.
"Please contact the relevant landlord," the long suffering Mossgreen clients were told.
At the time of issuing the correspondence, the landlord for the Clayton warehouse indicated that he will seek to contact consignors directly in relation to the return of their consigned items.
BDO offered no indication of the return process of the former High Street headquarters.
"We remain in discussions with the landlords regarding how we might be able to assist them with the goods collection process, and to make available the work we have done to date to bring order to that process."
"However, you will appreciate that as we are without funds, we can no longer maintain insurance in respect of the consigned goods.
"We strongly recommend that you immediately ensure that you have your own insurance in place," White said.
One client indicated the "BDO's bloody-mindedness will tip the scales to ensuring state government's move to ensure in future that auction houses are covered by trust fund style regulations."
Mossgreen clients hope both landlords are disposed to readily assist in the return of the goods and chatels. Property Observer anticipated the landlords would become key stakeholders in our reportage last week.
BDO never provided "any satisfactory explanation" as to why they did not adopt a "common-sense approach" on an earlier quick return of the $5 million in art and antiques caught in the Mossgreen administration, the Federal Court of Appeal noted earlier this week.
The now published judgement that admonished BDO came after BDO was thrawted in its attempt to impose a hefty fee on all clients of the collapsed auction house, as they sought to recoup the $1 million in expenses undertaken without reference to the courts.
The fee often was more than the content's value.
The initial judgement by Federal Court judge Nye Perram ruled the BDO administrators were "intermeddling" in other people's goods in circumstances "where they had not been invited to do so, were not performing their statuatory functions and had not been appointed receivers."
While not agreeing to the entirety of Justice Perram's ruling, the judgement, signed off by the Honourable Chief Justice Allsop and Justices Banks-Smith and Colvin, reiterated the error in BDO's administration.
The judges noted given that the BDO administrators only sought directions after the event, in effect to approve the course that they had already undertaken.
It was initially estimated that Mossgreen held in excess of 10,000 items on consignment, held across three premises in Victoria, their High Street, Armidale premises, a site in NSW on Queen Street, Woollahra and a third party warehouse in Clayton, Victoria.
The goods were classified into the following categories:
1.    Items sold at auction prior to our appointment and not yet collected by purchasers;
2.    Unsold items of recent auctions held on consignment on behalf of vendors;
3.    Items held on consignment for future auctions;
4.    Items abandoned by purchasers and vendors;
5.    Items stored at the Company’s warehouse awaiting collection by vendors; and
6.    Artwork consigned to the Company to hang in the gallery.
The stocktake identified that Mossgreen retained 6,935 lots (or 4,663 lots excluding stamps and coins) on behalf of in excess of 800 consignors (or in excess 600 consignors excluding stamps and coins).
After including abandoned items, and allowing for the prospect that owners of such items were unlikely to make claims, the judges noted it could be seen that the extent of claims by individual owners to the return of individual items was not as overwhelming a task as BDO advised.
The total cost of the stocktaking exercise was $1,048,072. It comprised the following: wages of $240,747 as of the company’s 36 employees, after 19 were terminated in January 2018, the remainder were kept on.
An amount of $180,075 had been included for rent. An amount of $54,000 was included for insurance and $45,849 was included for security.
There was $122,605 allocated for the costs of engaging the Tiger stocktake company to undertake a complete stocktake of all consigned goods. 
Some $72,500 had been included for legal costs for obtaining advice as to consignor Tasks and seeking directions from the court.
Fes for the administrators were put at $126,551 and disbursements of $11,033 to 31 January 2018.
Actual administrator’s costs from 1 February 2018 to 16 March 2018 have been $200,715.
All of the above were based on estimates to 31 March 2018. 
The names of the art and antique creditors are a who's who from across Australia, ranging from passionate collectors, socialites, low key business tycoons to deceased estates.
Caught amid the clients, were Sydney's society Coppleson family listed as owed $465,000, the third highest-owed creditor.
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BDO says Mossgreen contents are now uninsured after copping a Federal Court shellacking 

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BDO never provided "any satisfactory explanation" as to why they did not adopt a "common-sense approach" on the issue of the return of $5 million in art and antiques caught in the Mossgreen administration, the Federal Court of Appeal has noted.
The now published judgement that admonished BDO came after BDO was thrawted in its attempt to impose a hefty fee on clients of the collapsed auction house, as they sought to recoup the $1 million in expenses undertaken without reference to the courts.
The initial judgement by Federal Court judge Nye Perram ruled the BDO administrators were "intermeddling" in other people's goods in circumstances "where they had not been invited to do so, were not performing their statuatory functions and had not been appointed receivers."
The <a href="https://propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/investment-strategy/property-news-and-insights/82443-meddling-bdo-appeal-federal-court-mossgreen-loss" target="_blank">BDO appeal indicated</a> that shortly after the appointment of the administrators to Mossgreen, BDO started to receive requests for the return of consigned items.
But instead of seeking directions at that point from the Federal Court about how the employees could be put to work using their specialist knowledge to deal with those requests and return the items to which Mossgreen made no claim, the administrators instead took alternate steps.
These included pursuing a costly stocktake of all consigned items irrespective of their value and whether they had been abandoned. BDO also sought a deed of arrangement or outright sale.
"There seems to be no reason why such requests for returns could not have been dealt with even while those other options were pursued by the administrators," the Federal Court of Appeal noted in today's published judgment.
While not agreeing to the entirety of Justice Perram's ruling, the judgement, signed off by the Honourable Chief Justice Allsop and Justices Banks-Smith and Colvin, reiterated the error in BDO's administration.
"A different course would have been to allow consignors to immediately make claims. 
"Directions could have been sought as to the process to be followed. 
"It may have involved the presentation by owners of statutory declarations, receipts, references to catalogues, descriptions of the items claimed (many of which, due to the nature of Mossgreen’s business, were unique in character and were amenable to ready description by identifying features) and release of items in accordance with usual processes followed by Mossgreen employees.
"Other steps could be taken to deal with items that were identified as having little value or had not been the subject of any claim for an extended period. 
"These steps, if presented to the court, could have been approved by way of directions or as part of a supervised process by which the administrators were appointed as receivers to the goods and many items could have been promptly released at much less cost," the judges ruled.
"No satisfactory explanation was provided as to why such a common-sense approach was not followed, or why it was not possible or not desirable or practicable," the judges noted.
The judges noted detailed affidavits provided by BDO administrator James White provided "no evidence" that he turned his mind to the extent to which the stocktake was needed in order to return most items to their owners (as distinct from providing the administrators with a complete list of all of the items held).
"There is no evidence of any thought process by which he considered the significance of the extent to which the items held were legacy items of little value, the extent to which the stocktake was necessary in order to deal with claims by owners, the extent to which the costs involved were proportional to the value of goods involved, and the likely cost to individual owners if the stocktake was undertaken."
"It is one thing to investigate the inventory management systems. 
"It is a different thing to consider how most efficiently to return the property of third parties to them. 
"The administrators were dealing with property to which the company had no claim," the judges adding the question was not whether Mossgreen had good inventory management systems but whether its existing systems could be used to promptly and cost-effectively return the consigned items to their owners."
The judges noted given that the BDO administrators sought directions after the event, in effect to approve the course that they have already undertaken, so then they must be able to demonstrate that they were justified in what they did.
It was initially estimated that Mossgreen held in excess of 10,000 items on consignment, held across three premises in Victoria, their High Street, Armidale premises, a site in NSW on Queen Street, Woollahra and a third party warehouse in Clayton, Victoria.
The goods were classified into the following categories:
1.    Items sold at auction prior to our appointment and not yet collected by purchasers;
2.    Unsold items of recent auctions held on consignment on behalf of vendors;
3.    Items held on consignment for future auctions;
4.    Items abandoned by purchasers and vendors;
5.    Items stored at the Company’s warehouse awaiting collection by vendors; and
6.    Artwork consigned to the Company to hang in the gallery.
The stocktake identified that Mossgreen retained 6,935 lots (or 4,663 lots excluding stamps and coins) on behalf of in excess of 800 consignors (or in excess 600 consignors excluding stamps and coins).
After including abandoned items, and allowing for the prospect that owners of such items were unlikely to make claims, the judges noted it could be seen that the extent of claims by individual owners to the return of individual items was not as overwhelming a task as BDO advised.
The total cost of the stocktaking exercise was $1,048,072. It comprised the following: wages of $240,747 as of the company’s 36 employees, after 19 were terminated in January 2018, the remainder were kept on.
An amount of $180,075 had been included for rent. An amount of $54,000 was included for insurance and $45,849 was included for security.
There was $122,605 allocated for the costs of engaging the Tiger stocktake company to undertake a complete stocktake of all consigned goods. 
Some $72,500 had been included for legal costs for obtaining advice as to consignor Tasks and seeking directions from the court.
Fes for the administrators were put at $126,551 and disbursements of $11,033 to 31 January 2018.
Actual administrator’s costs from 1 February 2018 to 16 March 2018 have been $200,715.
All of the above were based on estimates to 31 March 2018. 
James White noted that the ongoing cost of following the process that the administrators have adopted is $109,532 per week.
The judges noted that "to put the above estimates in context, Mr White says that he has estimated that Mossgreen held Consignor Property (being all of the property listed after the stocktake) in excess of $5 million in value.
"So, the steps that have been taken by the administrators have resulted in costs, which if charged to consignors, will substantially deplete the value of property to which the administrators lay no claim to at all."
Tye judges considered that there was potentially an entitlement to an equitable lien with respect to work properly done and expenses properly incurred that benefit a consignor by securing and protecting their property that is deposited at the company’s premises until it is returned under an efficient process proportional to the nature of the goods in question. 
"Whether equity would grant such lien and its extent may depend upon the value of the statutory lien and the particular circumstances of the administrators’conduct.
"We do not consider the administrators established a right to a lie as claimed and accordingly the grounds are dismissed
"The administrators have not demonstrated that they are entitled to a lien covering the type of costs and in the amount that they have asserted in their dealings with owners of the consigned items.
"There may be a lien in some amount that might arise in the circumstances of this case.
"However, the Court is now faced with an application for directions blessing conduct of a kind that is not justified on the basis of the nature and extent of the lien advanced to support the judicial directions sought. 
"Further, by reason of the conduct of the administrators in not seeking directions at an early stage when consideration might be given to all options, including issues of proportionality, the extent of any actual difficulties in dealing with the consigned items that might be redressed by the stocktake, the possibility of an appointment as receiver to the goods to implement a plan approved by the Court and an assessment of the likely costs before they are incurred, the Court is not now in a position to make that determination on the evidence presented to support the present application. 
"Owners have been held out of their consigned items for a considerable period and we question whether the administrators would be justified in delaying further the release of consigned items while there is some form of retrospective assessment of the amount of a lien that may be required to be paid as a condition of release of property to the owners."
The appeal should be dismissed, the judges ruled, with further aspects of the administration yet to be decided.
DB Studdy SC with RM Foreman, briefed by King &amp; Wood Mallesons represented BDO. Dr O Bigos, briefed by Piper Alderman, represented the aggrieved Mossgreen clients who have yet to be advised just when they will be able to retrieve what is rightfully theirs.
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The names of the creditors are a who's who from across Australia, ranging from passionate collectors, socialites, low key business tycoons to deceased estates.
Melbourne veteran caterer Peter Rowland was caught amid the clients, with around $166,000 owed to the catering company.
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Sydney's society Coppleson family were listed as owed $465,000, the third highest-owed creditor. Their Potts Point penthouse sold to Gretel Packer for $8.75 million.
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BDO failed the "common sense" approach to Mossgreen inventory administration

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R&amp;F Property Australia has today turned the sod on what will become one of Footscray’s most significant and largest urban regeneration projects – Live City.
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The site represents a new era for the Kinnears Ropeworks factory. 
The site is centrally positioned between the Victoria University, Western Hospital and Highpoint Shopping Centre.
The sit is being repurposed into a residential and mixed-use precinct of up to 1,450 dwellings. 
Built in 1908, the former Kinnears Ropeworks will require econservation works to be undertaken and R&amp;F Property Australia has told River and Yarraville Ward councillors it is committed to honouring the factory’s industrial past.
It is R&amp;F Property Australia’s first development in Victoria after purchasing the site in August 2016. 
Its experienced development team have been working with Heritage Victoria over the past 18 months to design and deliver an exciting new precinct which carefully balances the site’s State Heritage listing.
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R&amp;F Property Australia vice president Thomas Chiu said the project will create a lively community.
“Live City will set the tone for Footscray’s newest precinct with conservation of three heritage buildings, approximately 1,450 apartments, specialty retail, commercial offices and public spaces to bring this vibrant new community to life,” he said.
“The development comes with a vision to create a sustainable hub that integrates seamlessly with the surrounding local neighbourhood, along with increased housing and amenity for Melbourne’s inner- west. 
“We want to create lively communities that have good transport connections, shops, cafes and access to employment and education facilities,” Mr Chiu said. 
Development will be staged over the next 6-8 years, to incorporate six precincts with a project total end value estimated at $750 million. 
The first stage of Live City is located on the site’s western edge between Ballarat Road and Kinnears Street and will feature 208 residential apartments within three buildings.
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Heights will vary between eight and eighteen storeys and will comprise a mix of retail, residential and carparking facilities on the ground level.
R&amp;F Property Australia is part of R&amp;F Properties, a global property development group.
Its offices in Melbourne and Brisbane, R&amp;F Property Australia works closely with all levels of government, industry partners, local contractors and communities to create high-quality, high-demand mixed-use, residential, commercial, and urban development projects.
For more information <a href="http://ppmga.com.au/project/r-f-property-australia-l-v-e-project/" target="_blank">click here.</a>
 
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Construction begins at Live City, the $750 million Footscray regeneration project

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The Reserve Bank of Australian has again noted its concern about the borrowers who have have taken interest-only loans.
There are around 1.46 million interest-only (IO) mortgages.
Some commentators reckon these loans are the making of a localised crisis the equivalent not seen since the 2008 United States subprime disaster which triggered the global financial crisis. 
There's no doubting IO loans are potentially toxic or otherwise our regulators would not have hastened their recent crackdown.
The borrowers were initially tax minimising investors but a troubling number were then home buyers who took the cheapest borrowing route to upsize to the priciest home they could be calculated by their lenders to afford.
The RBA figures show around 30 per cent of mortgage debt as subject to the upcoming IO reset, with its peak in 2020.
The RBA estimates around $120 billion in IO mortgages will convert to back to the traditional principal and interest loans (P&amp;I) every year between now and 2021.
The sting in the tail of these lower-repayments IO loans is that they apply for typically five years.
At the end of that period, the repayments step up as instead of paying the principal off over 30 years, borrowers will be repaying it back over 25 years.
When IO loans reset it is estimated repayments will leap for the borrower by between 30 to 40 per cent.
The Reserve Bank admits these resets are an "area of potential concern".
They anticipate most borrowers "should be able to afford the step-up in mortgage repayments" because they have accumulated substantial prepayments.
But I'm not as optimistic given the landscape has changed in regard to lending capacity rules along with the deterioration in price growth.
Given lenders have already increased the rate of the interest for exisiting IO loans, the RBA had noted switching out was underway voluntarily.
And already some banks have spotted a small increase in arrears among borrowers switching to P&amp;I loans 
"Partly, this was borrowers taking time to adjust to the higher required repayments, but most subsequently returned to meeting their payments in full," the RBA acknowledged.
Because of the recent slowing in price growth, I'd suggest the prospect of negative equity could rear its ugly head just as borrowers wish to refinance, rather than cop the higher repayments.
Borrowers who bought before the tightening of lending criteria by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority will no longer qualify for the same loan amount, due to serviceability issues.
So home owners and investors investors will face challenges rolling over or renegotiating their loans and holding onto their property, or property portfolio. 
Treasurer Scott Morrison anticipates APRA's restrictions have reduced high risk activity in his desire for a "soft landing" for the housing market and Australian economy.
For borrowers the time for reviewing, planning and managing household budgets starts now.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Interest only loans are a toxic ticking bomb for Australian economy

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An 1880s Darlinghurst manor has listed with $10 million hopes has been sold.
Reworked in 2010 by Alex Smith of CSA Architects, the home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-darlinghurst-128041810" target="_blank">87 Barcom Avenue</a>, was quickly snapped up three weeks into its marketing.
Built in 1882, the grand family home of the McGrath family has been featured in the pages of Belle and Mansion Australia magazines, and on Yellowtrace design blog.
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It is set on an elevated 592 sqm block with 14m street frontage.
Inside there are soaring four metre ceilings.
The home has five bedrooms plus a study with interiors by Arent &amp; Pyke, the duo Juliette Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke.
Arent &amp; Pyke developed a strategy to pair lofty and architecturally rich spaces, with heritage detail of ornate cornices and skirting boards, "where texture and refinement contrast and enrich the whole."
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There's an entertainer's billiard and rumpus room with 1200 bottle wine cellar.
George Cleary at BradfieldCleary described it as "the ultimate urban sanctuary." 
The restored grand Barcom Terrace had been converted to a boarding house in 1958 and then further converted to six self contained flats in 1983.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
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Transformed Darlinghurst manor sells after $10 million hopes

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<div>Auction activity remained relatively steady across the capital cities this weekend, with a total of 1,746 homes taken to market.</div>
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<div>Though estate agents report that prices are turning lukewarm.</div>
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<div>With school holidays recently underway, many of the weekend offerings were in seaside localities before the onset of the winter hibernation.</div>
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<div>At Blairgrowrie (above), there was a $550,000 sale of one of the Mornington Peninsula’s original holiday homes.</div>
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<div>Set among tea trees, the one bedroom weatherboard at <a id="LPlnk378485" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-blairgowrie-127984398" target="_blank">424 Melbourne Road</a> had been listed with a $545,000 to $599,500 price guidance.</div>
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<div>It last sold at $49,000 in 1998.</div>
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<div>At Ettalong Beach on the NSW Central Coast, <a id="LPlnk162968" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-ettalong+beach-127952406" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a three bedroom brick house at 96 The Esplanade offered</a> for the first time in four decades was snapped up pre-auction for $1.65 million.</div>
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<div>A three bedroom Main Beach apartment was sold for $580,000. Set in The Meriton, the apartment at <a id="LPlnk122373" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-qld-main+beach-127875822" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">7/29 Woodroffe Avenue</a> last traded in 1998 at $240,000.</div>
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<div>Ray White Queensland conducted 50 auctions on the Gold Coast to leverage off the Commonwealth Games hype. </div>
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<div>Around a quarter were sold.</div>
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<div>The sales included a $3.93 million five-bedroom home at <a id="LPlnk611392" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-sovereign+islands-127845274" target="_blank">15 Queen Anne Court, Sovereign Islands</a> which is under offer (below).</div>
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<div>The national success rate of 63 per cent increased from last week’s final clearance rate which saw the lowest result so far this year at 61.7 per cent from 1,915 auctions.</div>
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<div>CoreLogic noted units outperformed houses, with 65 per cent of units finding buyers compared to a cooling 62 per cent success rate for houses.</div>
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<div>Click here to enlarge.</div>
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<div>Melbourne saw a total of 905 auctions take place this weekend, returning a 63 per cent preliminary clearance rate, with the inner east again the weakest region with just 48 percent finding buyers.</div>
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<div>Parramatta's 38 percent was Sydney's weakest region, well below the improved overall 66 per cent success rate from the reduced 551 auctions held.</div>
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<div>Sydney's top sale was at Strathfield. The <a id="LPlnk273019" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-strathfield-127950374" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">5 Firth Avenue property </a>sold at $5,715,000. The six-bedroom designer residence on 920 square metres came with basement parking for six cars.</div>
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<div>The top Melbourne sale was in Albert Park, where a knockdown at <a id="LPlnk734369" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-albert+park-127936178" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">42 Draper Street</a> sold for $3.85 million.</div>
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<div>The three bedroom brick house sits on a 333 sqm block, a deceased estate held in the same family for half a century. The indicative price guide had been $2.9 million to $3.19 million, with three bidders pushing it $650,000 over reserve.</div>
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<div>An Elwood home, with balcony and garage door designed resplendent with leaf ornamentation, was among the weekend offerings.</div>
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<div>The leafy panorama featured on the front facade of the home at <a id="LPlnk208043" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-elwood-127904294" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">5 Ruskin Street</a> (below) which was listed with $2.8 million to $3 million hopes. </div>
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<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/4/23/elwood.jpg" alt=""> </div>
<div>
This distinctive four-bedroom residence boasts four bathrooms, a study retreat, open-plan living-dining zone and pool. 
James Meldrum, of RT Edgar advised it was under contract, though without price disclosure.
A Cheltenham house that dates back to the early 1900s was passed in at $1.4 million.
It had been tipped to have seen a battle between renovators and developers. 
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The three-bedroom house on 750sq m at <a id="LPlnk530451" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-cheltenham-127953114" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">12 Coape Street</a> had a price guide of $1.375 million to $1.475 million after its quote was increased.
Buxton agent Matthew Gray said the property was among the oldest in the suburb, but does not have any heritage protection. The historic Cheltenham home features a hipped roof, front veranda, double-hung windows and four fireplaces.
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The nation's cheapest auction sale was $271,000 in Adelaide, a three bedroom, one bathroom 1970s home at <a id="LPlnk504643" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/16-tolley-cl-paralowie-sa-5108" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">16 Tolley Close, Paralowie</a>.</div>
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Beach offerings amid weekend auctions before winter hibernation

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Fremantle Dockers veteran Hayden Ballantyne is yet to sell his Hopeland, WA rural estate.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-hopeland-127863626" target="_blank">25 hectare agistment property</a>, some 50 kilometres south of Perth, has been listed with $1.05 million plus hopes.
It was bought in 2011.
The listing photos give an obvious nod to Ballantyne's ownership, with his framed number 1 jersey in the theatre room, along side memorabilia gathered over his nine year career.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/3/28/hopeland%202.jpg" alt="">
Since his purchase the forward has added a main modern residence, wrapped in a verandah and complete with four bedrooms, separate office and a rumpus room.
There's 32 paddocks with horse rail fencing and an onsite managers cottage for additional farming income.
Ballatyne tried to sell the property before in 2013.
It's for sale through Greg Penn at Realmark Mandurah, who had set an April 15 auction.
Ballantyne was drafted by Fremantle when he was 21 as a second round pick in the 2008 draft.
In late 2016 Ballantyne married his long-term partner Alyssa Hennessy in nearby North Dandalup. They have two children. 
This article was first published in The Weekend Australian.
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Hayden Ballantyne selling Hopeland rural estate

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BDO has lost another judgement in the ongoing saga of its Mossgreen voluntary administration.
The Federal Court of Appeal knocked out it case this morning, with the reasons yet to be issued.
The return of art and antiques to their vendors/buyers is no sure thing, as the possibility of any unpaid rent could see the High Street, Armadale and Clayton landlords lock up the premises and hold the goods in the worst case scenario.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/4/19/courtorder.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge. </a>
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The matter related to BDO's administration of the Mossgreen goods and chattels, especially costs relating to their storage and insurance.
BDO had been seeking to charge clients of the collapsed auction house for the return of their goods.
Clients were furious at BDO's attempts to charge a fee – levied at $353 per lot – to have their own property returned, especially as some lots were going to cost more for their return that their actual value.
The initial judgement savaged the accountancy firm.
Federal Court judge Nye Perram ruled the administrators were "intermeddling" in other people's goods in circumstances "where they had not been invited to do so, were not performing their statuatory functions and had not been appointed receivers."
"Accordingly, they are not justified in requiring the consignors to pay a levy for the return of their goods," he ruled.
"In reaching this conclusion I have not disregarded what is sometimes referred to as the 'salvage' nature of the work done by external administrators or the concomitant need to ensure that persons are not deterred from doing such work in the future.
"But that well-founded policy consideration cannot provide cover for external administrators who decide to deal in assets of other persons for no reason relating to the administration of which they are seized," the judgement said.
"I conclude, therefore, that the alleged equitable lien does not arise.
"On the other hand, they are entitled to a lien for disposing of goods which ultimately turn out to be unclaimed and they should be entitled to realise those goods and, subject to any claim, apply the proceeds for the purposes of the administration."
The judge has noted the issue of the ongoing storage costs at the Armadale (pictured) and Clayton premises had become the centre of the unravelling legal embroglio.
His honour noted the issue was one of "spot fires' that had arisen during the voluntary administration.
BDO's James White urgently sought by way of interlocutory application a series of directions to protect the besieged accountancy firm in terms of storage rental and insurance costs going forward.
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"The effect of my decision is that the administrators, to the extent that they have been conducting the process of looking after and attempting to return by means of orderly stocktake the consigned goods to the consignors, have acted outside the functions which are conferred on an administrator and, accordingly, they are not entitled to indemnity or remuneration in respect of that," Federal Court judge Nye Perram noted in another judgement.
"The consequence of that conclusion, so far as rent which has been paid in the past is concerned, is that the rent is the administrators’ cost," he noted.
There was a stocktake that cost more than $1 million which Federal Court judge Nye Perram noted could have been court approved if permission had been sought by BDO prior to its undertaking.
The auction house held 1000s of goods belonging to other people, consisting of:
(a)  goods delivered to it to be auctioned but which had not yet been auctioned at the time the administrators were appointed;
(b)  goods delivered for auction but which had failed to sell and which were awaiting collection by their owners; and
(c)  goods which, although successfully sold at auction, had not yet been collected by the successful bidder.
The initial case judge noted a number of persons whose goods were successfully sold at auction by Mossgreen now claim that the money received by it from their respective purchasers is held on trust for them and is not, therefore, available for general creditors.
The three-cornered contest between the administrators, the trust-asserting consignors and the secured creditor is to be determined by the court later this year.
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The besieged administrator of collapsed auction house has yet to advise, today Thursday, when clients and buyers can collect the artwork and collectibles.
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BDO administrator James White had previously said the levy was "not negotiable". 
ASIC has reportedly not yet raised any concerns in relation to the administrators' conduct, but is expected to once the legalities are all done.
The administrators meet quick initial resistance when they told the first meeting of creditors in January that were exploring court judgements on whether a constructive trust arrangement existed.
Minter Ellison lawyer Lindsay Powers, on behalf of art collector Michele Asprey, suggested "this was the clearest case of a trust relationship he has encountered." 
Michelle Asprey was among those who presented their argument regarding the $353 levy in the recent court case over the proposed BDO fee.
The administration came December 21 following failed fundraising attempts.
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Sumner, who did not attend the first meeting, blamed the current circumstance on growing "a little bit fast."
There were 330 creditors initially identified at the meeting who were told no law required trust accounts for the auction proceeds.
There has yet been a second creditors meeting, given a court extension has been granted.
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The names of the creditors are a who's who from across Australia, ranging from passionate collectors, socialites, low key business tycoons to deceased estates.The biggest unsecured creditor stemmed from the auction of a book collection.
Some $1.75 million is owed to the family of the late wealthy insurance underwriter Martin Copley who auctioned off the books in October.
His auction items included John Gould's monumental The Birds of Australia, a large folio in eight volumes with 681 hand-coloured lithographed plates, bound in dark green morocco by Riviere, an original subscriber's set, which sold at $446,400 including premium.
The second biggest client was another deceased estate, that of the late South Australian building industry icon Alan Hickinbotham and his late wife Margaret.
It was billed as the highest value collection ever to be sold in Adelaide when auctioned in May by Mossgreen's chief, Paul Sumner.
Sydney's society Coppleson family were listed as owed $465,000, the third highest-owed creditor.
It followed the sale of the contents of the Macleay Regis penthouse, home (pictured top) of the late esteemed gynaecologist Professor Malcolm Coppleson and his late wife, Patricia, who was Vogue Living’s editor-at-large.
The 172 lots included the sale of a $192,200 Ian Fairweather work which had an $80,000 to $120,000 price guidance. A Tim Maguire fetched $117,800.
Mossgreen's last auction on December 7 last year was the contents of the Sheehy family with just 274 of the 438 lots being sold. The family, who are owed $45,000, inquired at the meeting whether Sumner's passport would be surrendered.
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BDO lose another Mossgreen administration Federal Court judgement

One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<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/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

Jonathan Chancellor

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