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Property investment intentions remain strong among Australians mortgage holders, a Mortgage Choice survey of 1,000 mortgage holders has found. 
Just over a quarter (26%) said they were considering using the equity in their homes to buy an investment property with more than half of these (56%) intending to do so within in the next two years. 
More than four out of five (83%) said they intended to buy an investment property in the next four years with intention of most being to “buy an average property in an up and coming area and hold onto the property”. 
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What is your preferred investment strategy?
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National
Results
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To buy an average property in an up and coming area and hold onto the property
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58.5%
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To buy the worst property in the best street and hold onto the property
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8.5%
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To buy a rundown property, renovate and sell for profit
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7.7%
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To buy a big block of land with a small/rundown property, with aim to knock down and develop and sell for profit
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7.4%
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To buy a property in an up and coming holiday rental area and hold onto the property to rent out in peak seasons
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5.9%
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Other
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12.1%
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Two-thirds of respondents said tenant demand and buying in the right suburb and street were key factor when choosing an investment property. 
Other important considerations were locality to amenities and entertainment such as cafes and restaurants, population growth and new infrastructure being put in place. 
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What are the top five factors you look for in an investment property?
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National
Results
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Tenant demand in that area
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65.8%
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In the right suburb and street
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64.7%
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Locality to amenities and entertainment (cafes, restaurants, etc)
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52.6%
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Population growth in that area
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46.3%
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Infrastructure going into that area
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44.1%
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The 1,000 mortgage holders were surveyed by Mortgage Choice as part of its inaugural Homeowner Intentions Survey. 
A quarter of those surveyed already own an investment property with 68% owning one property, 19% own two, and 13% own three or more properties. 
“It is really positive news for the property market to see a considerable chunk of homeowners weighing up the decision to purchase an investment property in the near future,” said Mortgage Choice spokesperson Belinda Williamson.
“With lenders’ interest rates on both home and investment property loans at their lowest point in recent years, it isn’t altogether surprising.”
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One in four borrowers intend to buy an investment property in up and coming areas in next four years: Mortgage Choice survey

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All signs in the latest housing finance data point to a more active property investment market.
The April ABS data shows that the value of home loans taken out by investors rose by 1.1% to five-year highs to $81.4 billion on a seasonally-adjusted basis, while the value of owner-occupier housing loans fell 0.9% to $14.6 billion.
The value of investment home loans to purchase established homes for rent or resale has been rising for nine straight months (since August 2012) and totalled just over $7 billion in April up from $6.82 billion in March.
A year ago the value of investment home loans to purchase established homes for rent or resale was $5.76 billion – an annual increase since then of 21.5%.
In contrast, the value of investment home loans to construct new dwellings for rent or resale has fallen for three straight months from $534 million in January to $381 million in April.
These figures suggest property investors may be buying up established homes that may have been marketed at first-home buyers, but who may have pulled back from the market due to no longer receiving the $7,000 first-home owner grant for established homes.
NSW ended its $7,000 first-home owner grant on October 1 and Queensland its first-home owner grant on September 12 – both states preferring to incentivise the purchase of new homes with $15,000 grants.
The most recent REIA housing affordability found that NSW first-home buyer in the March quarter totalled 2,647 - 57% lower than a year ago and a 40.6% fall in the March quarter alone.
In Queensland, home loans to first-home buyer decreased by 43.7% over the March quarter to 2,557 - the largest quarterly decline across the nation.
In original terms, the number of first home buyer commitments as a percentage of total owner occupied housing finance commitments rose to 14.3% in April 2013 from 14.2% in March 2013.
Westpac’s economics team commented that first-home buyers remained the stand out weak spot in the approvals data.
“We estimate loans to this segment were up 0.7% (seasonally adjusted) in April but are still down 10.8% annually and at very low levels by historical standards, particularly in NSW and Queensland," says Westpac.
CommSec chief economist Craig James attributed the rise in investment loans to "tight rental markets, state government grants for home builders, a relative lack of new homes being built and low interest rates are attracting investors,” said
Referring to the last NAB business confidence index, which improved modestly from minus 1.4 points to minus 0.7 points in May, James said Aussie businesses “could certainly take a leaf out of the book of housing investors”
“Investors see opportunities and are embracing them whereas businesses still complain about risks and hurdles,” he says.
James says first-home buyers are still reluctant to buy homes and prefer to rent instead.
“Fortunately second and subsequent home buyers are active in buying and building homes together with investors.
“The Reserve Bank will be happy that investors are diverting funds from cash-based investments to the housing market.
“On balance the Reserve Bank won’t be in a rush to cut rates again. The housing market is recovering while the lower Aussie dollar is assisting businesses,” he says.
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Opportunistic and optimistic property investors pick-up slack from dwindling first-home buyer market

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The seven Melbourne community newspapers shut down by Antony Catalano’s Metro Media Publishing (MMP) Group this month failed because they charged well above the real estate advertising rates of its News Limited competitor in the same market, John Trevorrow, the editor of Leader Community Newspapers has claimed.
The Fairfax stable of local papers has been revealed as sometimes charging double and triple the News ad rate.
On June 17 MMP will stop publishing the Casey Weekly, Frankston Weekly, Casey Weekly Cranbourne, Knox Weekly, Monash Weekly, Maroondah &amp; Yarra Ranges Weekly and the Peninsula Weekly with 32 employees to lose their jobs.
The seven publications came under Catalano’s MMP division in July last year as part of a merger with Fairfax.
In total 12 community papers have been shut down since the merger.
Catalano blamed the recent closures on its ability to gain new real estate advertising clients being “undermined by the millions of dollars News Limited is paying to agents across Melbourne and particularly in the south-east, which has made it impossible to compete fairly”.
He added that it was "ironic that a media organisation’s kickback program is the cause of media jobs being lost.”
But in an article published in News Limited-owned Herald Sun, Trevorrow, hit back claiming healthy competition had been the downfall of MMP-Fairfax titles.
“Reason for the closure of these publications is simple: healthy competition had provided consumers with a choice, and they chose not to go with MMP,” Trevorrow wrote.
He attacked the MMP business model, which involves local real estate agents having equity in the MMP titles.
“Those agents share in the profits the titles make, ironically off the back of real estate advertising they place but which is paid for by home sellers."
Trevorrow said the titles “generally have the high real estate advertising prices in their respective markets - presumably they have to charge higher rates in order to increase profits for their real estate agent shareholders”.
As an example he said the MMP publication in Stonnington/Boroondara charges $2772 for a full page ad compared to the local Leader title, which charged $990.
In Ivanhoe/Diamond Valley, Trevorrow said MMP charged $1550 for a page in its publication versus $770 in the rival Leader newspaper.
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Competition and much higher real estate advertising rates put Antony Catalano’s seven Melbourne community papers out business: rival

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A private offshore investor has paid $1.535 million - a yield of around 8% - for The Mezzanine at 65 York Street, Sydney.
The prime strata investment is on the corner of Barrack and York Streets in an iconic art deco heritage building. 
The Mezzanine comprises approximately a 231 square metre showroom/office plus storage.
The sale was negotiated by Savills’ executive, Ben Adler who said that with heavy restrictions in place on buying investment property in countries such as Singapore, China and Hong Kong savvy offshore investors are now switching their focus to places such as Australia.
Adler says this has become even more advantageous with the weakening of the Australian Dollar and falling interest rates. 
"The result is a dramatic influx of investors chasing well located CBD investments that offer solid lease covenants and strong yields. 
"In the sub $10m range there are still several opportunities to purchase on yields of 7.5% plus," he says.
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Offshore investor buys art deco Sydney strata space for $1.535 million

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<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/kflogo.jpg">
Knight Frank's Dominic Ong says the three key ingredients to his job are building trust, building relationships, and market knowledge.
<img src="/images/stories/2013/06/dominicong.png" width="200" height="200" alt="dominicong" style="margin: 5px; float: left;">Agent: Dominic Ong

Position: Asian Markets &amp; Commercial Sales Director
Company: Knight Frank

Office location: Sydney

How long have you been in the industry?

I have been in the property industry for over 12 years, including nine years in New Zealand and three years in Australia.
What’s happening in the area you specialise in?

I specialise in High Net Worth Private (HNWP) Asian investors and that market is currently extremely active. Knight Frank has recently formed a specialist Asian Markets division which targets High Net Worth Individuals from Asia, particularly China, with an aim of capitalising on the recent changes to the Significant Investment Visa (SIV) and the predicted influx of Asian capital into the Sydney and Australian marketplace. Knight Frank has a large network of Asian Market specialists both within Australia and the region – it’s a rapidly growing team.
Describe the most interesting property you have sold

I was brought on board to sell a five-floor property in Auckland which had been vacant for five years. The property was abandoned, like a run-down “ghost house”. The building was missing its roof and was flooded with dirty, putrid smelling knee-deep water. I ended up selling it to the very first buyer and it has now been refurbished and brought back to life.
What are the ingredients to being successful in your job?

Three key ingredients include building trust, building relationships, and market knowledge.
What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most?

Having lunch with my clients and building relationships with them.
Where would you invest a spare $750,000?

On a shop in Sydney which also has accommodation above it.
Which football team do you support?

I am a huge MU (Manchester United) fan!
What’s your favourite app or techno gadget?

It’s a public transport app called ‘Tripview’ – I highly recommend it.
How do you use social media?

I regularly use ‘WeChat’ to keep in touch with my family and friends. It allows you to text voice messages, make video calls in your pocket and it has a function where you can invite others for chat via QR code.
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In profile: Knight Frank's Asian markets and commercial sales director Dominic Ong

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Much has been made of the rebounding listed property sector in the past 12 months.
Atchison Consulting managing director Ken Atchison highlighted recently that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/commercial/a-reits-deliver-strong-results-and-beat-equities-ken-atchison/2013042360678">A-REITs returned 30.7%</a> over the year to March 31, outperforming equities by 10.7%.
“Over three years listed property returned 11.7% p.a. Industrial property was the strongest performing sector over three years at 20.4% p.a,” he said.
However, the sector is now 10% off its recent peak with A-REITs down 3.7% in May (compared with a 4.4% decline in equities).
Further gloss was taken off the sector following Australand’s unsuccessful attempts to negotiate a sale of its non-residential business to GPT.
The worst performers over May were residential develop FKP Group (-13% cumulative return) followed by the CFS Retail Property Trust (-8.2%) ,Westfield Retail Trust (-6.9%) and Australand (- 5.9%).
Stockland, Australia’s largest diversified listed property trust, suffered a 4.9% fall in total returns in May with Goldman Sachs A-REITS analyst Simon Wheatley noting that it has been carrying a large cumulative balance of provisions since 2008.
Taking a longer-term view, A-REITS have rebounded 148.2% from their March 2009 (compared with an 88.4% rise in equities over the same period) but are still 40% down from their peak.
Returns comparison
<img src="/images/stories/april3grandview/areits_performance.jpg" width="470" height="280" alt="areits_performance">
Source: Goldman Sachs
Wheatley notes that the sector was looking “expensive recently” with some REITs having recorded price falls of 15% to 20% in the space of a month.
However while there was a “meaningful decline” in May, he says A-REITs “fared relatively well versus the broader equity market”.
Apart from an overall fall in market conditions and confidence – the May NAB Monthly Business Survey had business conditions at low levels with unchanged mediocre confidence levels – other factors contributing to the slide include A-REIT-focused funds now having little spare cash to invest in the sector following recent capital raising investments, better value offered by recently devalued Asian REITS, as well as the recent fall in the Australian dollar.
The Australian Financial Review notes that a recent spate of capital raisings from Mirvac Group, Stockland and Cromwell Property Group, which raised $1.5 billion having “given investors a severe case of indigestion”.
However analysts like Adam Fairfax at JP Morgan believe investors will return to the sector spurred on by better yields offerings, quoting CFS Retail Property Trust and Westfield Retail Trust offering yields of 7.25% and 6.6% respectively.
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Recovery in "expensive" A-REIT sector falters with 3.7% fall in May

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Everyone knows who “High-rise Harry” is, but have you heard of “Manhattan skyline Matthew”?
Victoria’s youthful planning minister Matthew Guy is looking to leave a permanent reminder of his time in office with a vision for a Manhattan-like skyline dominated by high-rise apartment projects.
Matthew Guy has approved three major skyscrapers to be built in and around the Melbourne CBD – Tower Melbourne, Australia 108 and Vision – and has a vision for the Melbourne skyline that “turns dramatically upwards”.
A press release issued by Guy in March to announce <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/fender-katsalidis-australia-108-tower-seeks-%241000-early-buyer-registrants/2012112058001" target="_blank">his approval of Australia 108</a>, which will rise 108 storeys (388 metres) and become the world’s 19th tallest building on completion, reinforced his vision with title “Melbourne, moving upward”.
Two things are clear: more people are expected to reside in apartments in and around the Melbourne CBD in the coming years and offshore players are a growing force in new developments.
Property consultants Charter Keck Cramer (CKC) anticipate a 30% rise in new apartments to be completed over the next three years taking total inner city apartment numbers from around 30,500 currently to over 42,000 by 2015.
They estimate that offshore developers will account for around 39% (4,700 apartments) of new apartments being developed in Melbourne’s central City region over the next three years.
This compares with offshore developers accounting for just 8% of new apartments between 2000 and 2012.
The most high-profile Asian-backed project is Tower Melbourne, being developed by CEL Australia, a subsidiary of Singapore-based listed developer Chip Eng Seng Corporation.
The two other projects - Australia 108 (developed by architects Fender Katsalidis) and Vision (developed by the Brady Group) - are Australian-based projects but will attract Asian investors in their development and cashed-up private Asian buyers to off-the-plan apartment sales.
However, this shift towards high-rise project development spurred on by Matthew Guy's willingness to approve such projects, will require a major shift in Melburnians' affinity for living up in the clouds supported by continued investment from Asian buyers.
As one industry insider tells me, the densification of Melbourne around the CBD may be happening at a rate “beyond the community’s preference”.
In essence, what is required is a fundamental shift in patterns in household consumption of housing.
It requires that people move out of the established parts of Melbourne and into new apartments in and around the city.
And the granting of development approvals does not in the first instance guarantee a project will eventuate (the decision by ISPT to sell its Spencer Street site with approval for six residential towers a recent example of uncertainty about approved projects) nor does it guarantee a supply of tenants, even if off-the-plan sales are strong.
 
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Projects need to be appropriate to meet the market conditions and some may have to wait a very long time to see the light of day.
An example of this is Prima Pearl project, which is finally under construction and rising behind Crown Casino on Southbank.
The 72 story project, being developed by the PDG Group and being built by Brookfield Multiplex, received approval nearly 10 years ago.
Apart from the demographic shift required, the changing nature of commercial zones into residential ones will require an investment in community facilities such as libraries, child-care centres and supermarkets.
In some instances, the rise of residential developments has come before community investment, the most glaring example being Docklands.
RotheLowman architect and principle Chris Hayton designed the Abbotsford riverfront project on the banks of the Yarra River with a community feel and access and says Melbourne apartment buyers are looking for a place where “people will want to go and live, where they are able to walk downstairs to get their milk and where they don’t have to get into their car to kick the footy around.”
He calls it the “milk bar resurgence” and adds that the lessons can be learnt from some of the well-known failings of mixed-use developments at Docklands.
Industry players say there are broadly two apartment development markets in Melbourne.
The first of these is centred around the inner city markets – CBD, Docklands, Southbank and City Road - and dominated by offshore players who don’t have the pre-sales constraints of local developers and who can contribute greater equity to the project.
One example is the Tower Melbourne project.
With the backing of a listed Asian developer, it is certain to be built.
Offshore players play by different rules. They put more equity into their projects and require less financing, which influences what they can do.
In addition there are push factors from offshore markets like China, Singapore and Hong Kong where the rate of return on equity is much lower than it is here.
Earlier this year, Beijing banned single-person households from buying more than one residence. The government also increased the minimum deposit for all buyers of second homes and has increased the capital gains tax on property to 20%.
This means there is a lot of money floating about and looking for home and finding its way into the Melbourne apartment market.
But other projects backed by private funds – local or offshore - may take longer to come to market – or may not happen at all.
Plus Melbourne, which has had the offshore buyers’ market largely to itself up until recently, now faces more competition from Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
Even Adelaide is attracting offshore interest with Chinese developer Datong buying four sites and commencing construction this week of $36 million project comprising 69 apartments.
The other new Melbourne apartment market is the one happening out in the suburbs, where local developers are building more modest or appropriate projects, provided they secure the necessary pre-sales.
And there remains another potential spoke in the wheel - the declining Australian dollar.
While a weaker dollar makes it cheaper for offshore investors to buy apartments off-the-plan, it could according to property consultants MacroPlan Dimasi discourage Asian developers from buying up development sites and undertaking new apartment projects because they will face the prospect of owning an asset that is declining in US dollar value terms.
And it appears perhaps that Matthew Guy himself is not entirely one-dimensional when it comes to the development of Melbourne’s urban areas.
He recently announced that he would save 87 heritage buildings in and around Melbourne including Norman’s Corner Stores at 180-182 Bourke Street and the former Argus building in La Trobe Street.
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Matthew Guy’s high-rise vision for Melbourne could be a pipe dream

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An investor has acquired a 170-square-metre warehouse unit in the Hyde Business Park in Yarraville for $420,000 for their self-managed super fund (SMSF). 
The two-level warehouse is one of 13 units being sold or available for lease in stage one of the business park development. 
It will lease for around $36,000 per annum equating to an indicative yield in excess of 8%. 
Yarraville is around 4 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD.
Another two-level unit in the development – unit 13 measuring 146 square metres over two levels - sold for $370,000. It includes a balcony looking over Melbourne’s Ports to the CBD. 
Both sales were negotiated by Colliers International’s Cameron Hunter and Nick Saunders, who have negotiated seven sales in the development to date. 
“The Hyde Business Park development is perched high on the hill and looks out to the Melbourne CBD. The views at night time in particular are unbelievable,” says Hunter. 
The remaining six warehouse units which feature automated roller shutter doors, kitchenette and shower within landscaped gardens remain available for purchase with prices from $365,000 from $465,000.
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SMSF investor acquires Yarraville warehouse with city views for $420,000 on 8% yield

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Borrowers who took out a home loan with Heritage Bank in 2000 have, on average, saved the most in home loan payments compared to 23 other lenders, a new survey has found.
Those who took out a Citibank home loan have, on average, paid the most.
A study of 23 Australian financial institutions in the period from 2000 to 2012 found that Heritage Bank had the lowest average standard variable home loan rate of 7.01% over this period while the most expensive was Citibank with an average standard variable home loan rate of 7.43%.
The difference in the two rates equates to nearly $1,000 a year in extra mortgage repayments.
While interest rates are by no means the only consideration when applying for a mortgage (other factors include fees, costs, features and purpose of the loan), they are often the starting point for borrowers to investigate which lender to submit an application through.
<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/stories/april3grandview/heritage_bank_story.jpg" alt="heritage_bank_story" width="470" height="747">
Source: Heritage Bank from University of New England study
The study was carried out by professor Abbas Valadkhani from the University of New England, who found that on average building societies offered the cheapest home loan rates (7.15%) followed by Australian banks (7.25%) and then foreign-owned banks (7.35%).
The next best behind Heritage Bank were the Newcastle Permanent Building Society, Hume Building Society, Greater Building Society and Adelaide Bank.
The average across the 23 lenders was 7.24%.
The cheapest of the major banks over the 12 year period was NAB ranked 11th (7.25%) and Westpac the most expensive, ranking 21st (7.34%)
Australia’s biggest mortgage lender the Commonwealth ranked 14th and ANZ, 17th. Heritage Bank CEO John Minz said he was delighted but not surprised that the study had identified Heritage as offering the lowest overall rate. "Heritage is all about providing our customers with the best value we can," he said. "As a customer-owned bank, we put people ahead of profits, and the results of this study clearly demonstrate that we are delivering on our promise of maximising value for our customers. "We are extremely proud that we have come out on top of this comparison, particularly as it spans a 12-year period. That is ample evidence of our long-term commitment to the financial well-being of customers." 
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Heritage Bank tops list of cheapest mortgage providers over past 12 years

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Realestate.com.au and its publisher REA Group have won a long-running trademark dispute with alternative listings provider realEstate1 Pty Ltd, which trades as <a href="https://www.realestate1.com.au">www.realestate1.com.au</a>.
The ruling was made despite a federal court judge describing REA Group’s trademarking of the term 'realestate' combined with 'com.au' as both “troubling” and giving it a “monopoly” of the term where rivals seek to incorporate it in their domain name as they are "likely to be the most common terms on a search results page where a search has been conducted for a residential real estate portal".
That name realestate.com.au is the subject of three composite trademarks held by REA.
"It is troubling that terms that are highly descriptive of a particular area of commerce and which provide significant commercial advantage should not be readily available for use by all who seek to participate in that commerce," said Federal Court Justice Bromberg in his June 7 ruling.
"However, in the absence of a successful challenge to the registration of REA’s realestate.com.au trade marks, whilst that may be troubling, REA is nevertheless entitled to the protection of the monopoly which has been conferred upon it.”
It paves the way for other real estate portals that use the term 'realestate' and 'com.au' in their domain names to be pursued by the REA Group for trademark infringements.
Fairfax, the main rival to News Limited owned REA Group in the property listings space, currently operates the website www.commercialrealestate.com.au.
In making its claim, REA pleaded “that the domain name ‘realestate1.com.au’ is substantially identical or deceptively similar to the domain name ‘realestate.com.au’ and that the domain name ‘realcommercial1.com.au’ is substantially identical or deceptively similar to the domain name ‘realcommercial.com.au’".
Federal court justice Bromberg ruled that “by using the marks realestate1.com.au and realcommercial1.com.au, Real Estate 1 infringed REA’s trademarks in all but one of the different uses alleged by REA”.
Gold Coast real estate agent Glenn Batten, a contributing editor on real estate technology portal business2.com.au, writes that the lengthy judgement appears to have found that realestate1.com.au infringed on the trademark of realestate.com.au (use of similar domain and trading names by rival internet businesses) but have not breached the Trade Practices Act, having not passed themselves off as realestate.com.au.
“The REA Group has won the trademark section but not the Trade Practices section,” says Batten.
He highlighted this as the key paragraph in the judgement:
“As my conclusions demonstrate, registration of REA’s realestate.com.au marks has effectively given REA a monopoly over two highly descriptive terms when used in combination. Those terms are likely to be the most common terms on a search results page where a search has been conducted for a residential real estate portal. The protection conferred by REA’s trade marks over the use of “realestate” and “.com.au” in combination, provides REA with a monopoly over the term “realestate” in circumstances where its rivals seeking also to use “realestate” or a close variant thereof as a second-level domain, do not forego the advantages of using “.com.au” in their domain names. The natural advantage of a domain name which incorporates “realestate” to the commercial success of property portals will be apparent from observations I have already made. There is also a natural advantage in the use of the suffix “.com.au”. It is troubling that terms that are highly descriptive of a particular area of commerce and which provide significant commercial advantage should not be readily available for use by all who seek to participate in that commerce. However, in the absence of a successful challenge to the registration of REA’s realestate.com.au trade marks, whilst that may be troubling, REA is nevertheless entitled to the protection of the monopoly which has been conferred upon it.”
Batten warned: “With this judgement under their belt it will be interesting to see who is next on REA’s hit list.  I am thinking that every other non-agency client of theirs using any domain with the term “realestate” and “.com.au” is in for a hard time in 2014.
The launch of realestate.com.au dates back to 1998 while launched its portal in 2005.
realEstate1 was set up by Geoffrey Luff, who has worked in and owned various real estate agencies in and around the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.
“Damage was not the subject of the trial and may now need to be determined in a separate hearing. The form of the other relief sought by REA has not been the subject of submissions and the parties ought to be given the opportunity to make submissions in light of my findings,” said justice Bromberg.
Realestate1.com.au continues to trade as normal.
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REA Group wins trademark battle with realestate1.com.au and monopoly of online term ‘realestate”

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

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“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

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Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

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Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

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Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

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Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

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The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

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Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

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Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

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Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

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Larry Schlesinger

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