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Chinese investment in Australian commercial property has surged ahead in 2013, according to figures published by Colliers International in its 2013 Australian Capital Markets report.
Over the first four months of the year, Chinese investment has totalled $201 million compared with $122 million for the whole of 2012 and $137 million in 2011.
“China has been actively investing or seeking to invest in mineral exploration and development sector for some time but more recently real estate has emerged as a major category for investment.
“During the last three years, proposed foreign investment in Australia by China in the real estate sector has grown by almost 75%, while proposed foreign investment in mineral exploration and development has declined by around 14%,” notes the report.
<img alt="chinese_investment" height="261" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/larry_uploads/chinese_investment.png">
Source: Colliers International
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Chinese commercial investment in Australia surges in 2013: Chart of the week

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Stockland chief executive Mark Steinert has continued his management shake-up with the appointment of two new executives to the Stockland executive committee, including the key role of residential chief executive.
Andrew Whitson will take up the role of group executive and chief executive of Stockland's residential business on July 1 following the departure of Stockland’s former head of residential, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/australian-capital-territory/stockland-executive-team-shake-up-as-tim-foster-and-mark-hunter-sacked/2013050861155" target="_blank">Mark Hunter in May</a>.
Whitson will take over from Kingsley Andrew, who has been joint interim CEO over the last month.
Whitson has 20 years of experience in residential property development and investment in Australia and overseas. He has led Stockland’s Victorian residential business since 2009 and his role was expanded in 2012 to include New South Wales.
“Andrew brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role and a strong track record of achievement during his time as a senior manager at Stockland,” Steinert said. “I welcome him to our executive team and am confident he will be an effective leader for our residential business as we focus on improving returns.”
Stockland has also appointed Stephen Bull, currently general manager development and design (commercial property) as its new group executive and chief executive of retirement living following the resignation of David Pitman.
“On behalf of the board and executive committee I would like to thank David for his outstanding contribution over more than six years on the Stockland executive team,” said Steinert.
Bull joined Stockland in 2007 and since 2009 has led its development and design team, overseeing the retail development pipeline.
Prior to joining Stockland, Bull was at Westfield for eight years where he held various strategy, financial planning and operational asset management roles. Before joining the property sector, Stephen worked in financial services.
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Stockland appoints new heads of its residential and retirement living businesses

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A number of property heavyweights are reportedly bidding for the assets or the management rights of an Australand unlisted property fund.
The Australian Financial Review’s StreetTalk column names Charter Hall, GPT and the asset management arm of investment bank Investec as bidding for a collection of assets worth around $250 million that make up the Australand Wholesale Property Fund No.6 (AWPF6).
The fund is a portfolio of eight commercial and industrial properties located in NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
It comes as majority shareholder Singapore-based CapitaLand is still seeking to sell its stake in the listed property trust following <a href="/news">GPT pulling out </a>of a $2.8 billion bid for the non-residential parts of the Australand business.
The column names Charter Hall, already an investors in the unlisted fund as “one of the most aggressive bidders” but its proposal to take over the management rights was reportedly rebuffed by stakeholders.
Australand holds a 28% stake in the fund, which was established in 2007.
The sale of the assets and management rights are being handled by CBRE, says StreetTalk.
The sale will strengthen Australand balance sheet, but according to StreetTalk indicates a “hardening attitude” among institutional investors to the purchase of wholesale real estate managers.
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Charter Hall, GPT among bidders for unlisted Australand property fund: StreetTalk

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The long lead time to the federal election is creating uncertainty in the minds of prospective buyers with more than one in two delaying purchasing decisions until after the September 14 federal election.
Around 56% of the 1,107 people surveyed by QBE LMI for its latest Mortgage Barometer Report said they would delay purchasing until after the election.
Around 30% said they want to see what economy is like post-election while nearly one in five (18%)  wanted to see who would win before buying – this despite only 14% of those surveyed expecting a Labor victory.
Other questions asked around the election, revealed that nearly three in four respondents (72%) believe the election will have no impact on the official cash rate.
However, perhaps signalling expectations around a more conservatively minded Coalition government, of the majority of respondents who think the Liberal National Party (LNP) will win, 21% say rates will rise after the election and only 8% say they’ll drop.
For those who think the Australian Labor Party (ALP) will win, 8% say rates will rise after the election, 20% say they’ll drop.
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More than one in two putting off home purchase decisions until after September 14 election: QBE LMI survey

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Serviced apartment operator Quest has expanded by 28% in the past two years and is now the fastest growing player globally, according to a new report.
Quest’s expansion comes as the serviced apartment sector continues to expand in Australia and New Zealand with a 14.5% increase in supply since 2011.
“Australian serviced apartments are in high demand and short supply; a trend that shows no sign of slowing,” notes the UK-based Travel Intelligence Network, authors of the Global Serviced Apartments Industry Report 2013/14.
Quest is now second only to Mantra in terms of serviced apartment room numbers.
Mantra offers 13,600 rooms in 150 locations spread across Australia and New Zealand with Quest offering 6,786 rooms across 120 locations.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/larry_uploads/serviced_apartments.jpg" width="470" height="376" alt="serviced_apartments">
The other major operators in what is a very fragmented market are Oak Apartments and Mercure (owned by Accor), which both offer more than 4,000 serviced apartments and Harry Triguboff’s Meriton Group (2,674 apartments), which has plans to expand this side of its business.
The biggest operator globally is the Marriott group through its Residence Inn serviced apartment business, which operates more than 90,000 apartments in the US and Canada.
Quest chairman and founder Paul Constantinou attributes the growth in Australia to the country becoming de-centralised; “former regional towns are now regional cities, and the lack of accommodation in these areas is being addressed by serviced apartments rather than mainstream hotels".
“Although Australia has major international centres, the hotel chains tend to be concentrated in the main cities,” he says.
Constantinou says the sector is being driven by demand from the extended stay market, where demand has grown by 30% due to companies expanding and more consultants finding themselves on the road to service their customers. 
The report also quotes research by Atchison Consultants which forecasts the Australian serviced apartments sector to outperform the hotel sector over the next three years
Atchison Consultants forecasts investor returns of between 13% and 15% per annum compared to 10% and 11% for hotels and also estimates - on the back of a 10% rise in business travellers to Australian in 2011 - that business travellers account for 50% of guests who stay in serviced apartments, attracted by the lower costs compared to hotels.
A separate report by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) Hotels found that of the 3,712 hotel rooms under construction in September 2012, a third were serviced apartments - though JLL warns that serviced apartments will have to show a positive yield for at least three years to tempt back investors.
According to the global 2013 report, this is already happening with the sector is attracting new investors and is benefiting from increasing numbers of business travellers to Australia.
The report says serviced apartment rental rates in Australia and New Zealand are the most  expensive in the Asia Pacific region, ranging from $110 to $200 per night for a studio apartment to $180 to $275 for a two-bedroom apartment.
Quest is currently selling investments in its Quest Rockhampton development offering rental returns of 6.5%, increasing by 4% per annum.
In May, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/leisure/quest-lists-sydney-olympic-park-serviced-apartments-as-appetite-for-australian-hotels-rises/2013051561395" target="_blank">Quest listed its Sydney Olympic Park</a> apartment hotel for sale seeking around $39 million as it looks to free up cash to fund the development of more than a dozen new serviced apartment projects and tap into growing investor demand for Australian hotels and serviced apartments, particurlarly from Asian investors.
Australia’s serviced apartment sector dates back to the 1970s, but the real growth spurt occurred in the build-up to the Sydney Olympics with the number of establishments with 15 rooms or more growing from 479 in 1998 to 973 by March 2011.
It ranked as seventh biggest apartment globally in 2011-12, up from 10 in an earlier survey.
The current report does disclose country rankings.
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Surging Quest leads strongly growing Australian serviced apartment market

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The national median house price rose 1.7% over the three months to April to a median of $554,410, according to Australian Property Monitors (APM).
Over the past 12 months median prices are up 3.3%.
Perth had the strongest quarterly gain (3.2%) followed by Melbourne (3.1%) and  and Canberra (2.5%).
The strongest performing detached housing market over the year to April has been Canberra, with prices up 7.1%.
Despite this strong showing, APM senior economist Dr Andrew Wilson said the Canberra housing market "continues to tread water, weighed down by a faltering local economy and concerns about public sector job shedding, due to a deteriorating federal budget".
"Prices growth is expected to remain subdued as a consequence, with the April unemployment rate at 4.7%, the highest April rate recorded in the ABS series for the city, and well ahead of the 2.9% recorded over April the year before."
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House prices up 1.7% in April quarter led by Perth: APM

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Melbourne was the strongest performing capital city unit market over the three months to April with median prices rising 4.1% to $405,224, according to Australian Property Monitors (APM).
Overall the national unit market gained just 0.9% over this period.
The other notable rise was on the Gold Coast with unit values up 2.9% to a median of $370,000 though prices are still down 5.4% over the past 12 months.
"Melbourne’s housing market has risen since the Easter holiday period, with auction clearance rates on the rise over April and May," notes Dr Andrew Wilson, who prepared its latest housing market report.
"Auction listing numbers also rose over this period, with more than 700 extra properties offered for auction compared to the same period a year ago. This indicates that seller-confidence is on the rise in a market that continues to perform at three-year highs."
Wilson said the Gold Coast remained "on track for a modest revival in buyer activity, following a prolonged period of subdued activity, similar to other major housing markets in South-East Queensland that tend to move in sync".
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Melbourne leads modest 0.9% gain in unit prices in April quarter: APM

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<img alt="allensjune25bannerone" height="94" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/06/allensjune25bannerone.jpg">
Allens partner Alister Fitzgerald has been involved in a wide range of transactions since joining Allens, with recent career highlights including advising Woolworths Limited on the real estate aspects of the establishment of the $1.5 billion Shopping Centres Australasia Property Group; and advising the Government Investment Corporation of Singapore on the sale of 215 Adelaide Street, Brisbane, for $135 million.
He says a good understanding of the market and client need are key to success in the industry.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/06/alisterfitzgerald.png" width="200" height="200" alt="alisterfitzgerald" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">Agent: Alister Fitzgerald Position: Partner Company: Allens Office location: Brisbane
How long have you been in the industry?
Over 13 years now, working in Brisbane, Sydney, Hong Kong and Auckland, and then back to Brisbane.  This has included time in-house with Goodman Group and in private practice, with the last 3 years at Allens in Brisbane - a great final destination.  I've had the opportunity to see the highs and lows of the property cycle.
What’s happening in the area you specialise in?
There are some interesting market dynamics at play.  Demand for institutional grade assets is very strong, yet tenant demand is not as strong as it has been.  I am also seeing some established players start to look for growth in peripheral asset classes and locations.  These factors all present an interesting challenge for the clients I advise.
Describe the most interesting property deal you have been involved in?
The most interesting deals for me are those that have many moving parts and where client engagement is strong.  Last year, I was part of the Allens team advising Woolworths on the spin-off of $1.5b in shopping centre assets into the newly formed Shopping Centres Australasia Property Group.  A huge challenge, but with a very focused and determined client and broader consultant support team, and working with a large and dedicated team at Allens across many jurisdictions and practice areas.  The transaction was successfully executed and it was for me, personally, a very rewarding experience.
What are the ingredients to being successful in your job?
A good understanding of the market and client need.  A strong work ethic, an ability to manage teams and an ability to think laterally.  And perhaps most importantly, a pretty good sense of humour that you share with those around you - helps put things in perspective and to think calmly when you need to the most.
What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy a well-executed transaction - efficient, with a sensible managing of risks, and a positive commercial outcome for the client.  I also enjoy engaging with and learning from others - including clients, other consultants, my team members and my fellow partners.  I have a genuine interest in the real estate industry and like to have a working understanding the non-legal aspects of it.  This helps me do what I do more effectively.
Where would invest a spare $750,000?
The mortgage would need to go first, but after that I would be looking at (probably jointly with other investors) commercial assets in city fringe locations in Brisbane, in the recognised in-fill corridors, with a strong tenant covenant and solid holding income for the medium term.
Which football team do you support?
Broncos and Reds, but to be honest I'd get a bigger buzz seeing Cadel Evans do well in this year's Tour.
What’s your favourite app or techno gadget?
I use my iPad a lot, and find on work trips and in meetings it is very useful, and I get the Financial Review on it which keeps me up to date.  My favourite app is probably Strava on my iPhone, which tells me just how slowly I ride up the large hill near my home, compared to the average punter.
How do you use social media?
I do enjoy direct personal interaction so have never found social media as a viable substitute for that.  That said, I get a reasonable amount of benefit from LinkedIn from a networking perspective.  I use Twitter now and again, but if I am being honest I haven't got to the point of properly understanding its full potential - that's on the to-do list.  Facebook has never appealed greatly to me - I do have an account, but most things personal to me I only want to share with a small number of people, not including Mr Zuckerberg.
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In profile: Allens real estate partner Alister Fitzgerald

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The Debunking Economics website launched by economist and housing market analyst Steve Keen is set to close in August. 
Keen told Property Observer <a target="_blank" href="https://debunkingeconomics.com/">the site</a> had not succeeded as a commercial venture. 
Debunkingeconomics.com launched in August last year quickly attracted 130 subscribers under an introductory offer of $25 per month or $250 for the year. 
The prices increased to $40 a month or $400 for a 12 month membership in September. 
Most of the subscribers were US-based. 
Hosted by Las Vegas-based Echo Chamber Media, it offered hour-long economics videos, weekly video interviews on topical issues, chart packs, fortnightly interactive seminars and blog posts with the aim of monetising some of Keen's views published on his long-running Debtwatch blog (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.debtdeflation.com/blogs/">www.debtdeflation.com/blogs/</a>). 
Keen says he plans to pare things back to writing his Business Spectator column and Debtwatch so that he has some time to do "fundamental research". 
“I have a target that if I haven't begun my next book by the end of 2013 then I'm going to be somewhat of a hermit in 2014: far less travel and fewer conferences. 
“2013 has been overkill on that front,” he says.
In June, Keen spoke at a Harvard Law School specialist seminar on money in Boston, followed by a keynote address to the Malaysian Central Bank's annual conference and further engagements in London, Paris, Frankfurt and Bordeaux.
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Property bear Steve Keen to close subscription site Debunking Economics

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With mortgage repayments taking up substantial part of household income, being mortgage-free is an ambition for many homeowners.
There are simple strategies that borrowers can implement to help them pay of their home loan faster from bringing your own sandwiches into work to seeking out discounted mortgage offerings to paying fortnightly instead of monthly.
Here a 10 tips from mortgage brokers <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mortgagechoice.com.au/">Mortgage Choice </a>and lender <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rams.com.au/">RAMS</a>:
1. Shop around, from beginning to end of the loan term - Why would someone research only one lending institution before applying for a mortgage – one of the biggest financial decisions they will ever make? The same goes for throughout the loan term. Why would you stay with one lender for 25 years when Australia has a competitive mortgage market that changes frequently? Existing mortgage holders should do a home loan health check with their mortgage broker at least once every two years, especially if their income or other circumstances has changed. 
2. Don’t adjust repayments after an interest rate drop - If interest rates drop, borrowers should continue making the same regular repayment. They will potentially help the borrower save on total interest paid over the loan term. Maintaining regular repayments in the instance of a rate cut means the borrower doesn’t have to sacrifice a dollar to make significant gains on their mortgage.
3. Ignore the honeymoon rate - Many people make the mistake of not looking past their honeymoon period, when the mortgage interest rate is lower than it will be for the rest of the loan term. If the post-honeymoon period has not been budgeted and prepared for then obviously the borrower will be in for quite a shock. A clever move is to make mortgage repayments as if the honeymoon period doesn’t exist, so they are well prepared for its completion and already ahead on payments. They will also be unaffected by a rate rise if it occurs. 
4. Make fortnightly instead of monthly loan repayments - Over just twelve months, this equates to one extra month of additional repayments. This could cut four and a half years off a 25 year term loan and save about $69,000 interest on the average $300,000 home loan.
5. Save loose change and take your lunch with you sometimes - Saving money in small ways and making extra lump sum repayments can help to pay off your loan faster. An extra $25 a week to repayments will reduce the average $300,000 home loan over 25 years by six years and five months, saving over $97,000 in interest.
6. Consider an offset account - If all your salary is deposited into an offset account, any funds you leave in the account work harder for you because your savings are offset against your home loan to reduce the interest you pay.
7. Look out for promotional offers – If you’re applying for a new home loan, considering refinancing or at the end of fixed-term home loan, a home loan has no application fees, could save hundreds of dollars off the application process for your new home loan.
8. Pay extra each repayment period - The more additional dollars that are contributed more often, the better off the borrower will be. 
9. Make lump sum payments - Contributions of bonuses, tax returns and other financial windfalls can make a big difference to the interest owed over the life of the loan and the length of the loan term. 
10. Consider loan features carefully - Before deciding on a loan, the borrower needs to consider what loan features they really need, and how much each of those either contribute to the loan from the start (i.e. higher interest rate for more features) or how much they are going to cost down the track (e.g. $25 per redraw, a minimum $250 withdrawal, etc). With an ‘all-frills’ loan, the borrower most likely is paying a higher interest rate. If they don’t use all the facilities offered on the loan, it makes sense to refinance and switch to a more basic product offering a lower interest rate – their repayments will be lower, and they can afford to pay off the property more quickly if that is part of their strategy. Of course, switching costs need to be taken into account. Those who are looking at taking out a mortgage may also investigate their eligibility for a professional package, where they can receive benefits such as a reduced interest rate, no application or other fees, Gold credit cards and home insurance discounts.
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10 tips to paying off your home loan quicker

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

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

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

Larry Schlesinger

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