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Australian hotels delivered property investors a 9.4% total return over 2012, according to the IPD Asia Pacific Hotel Property Index.
Australian hotel properties outperformed returns generated across the Asian market (5%) and the Asia Pacific (7.7%) over 2012.
The majority of the 9.4% return was the result of capital appreciation (8%) with the remainder (1.4%) coming from income growth.
This was below the three-year return of 13% for the Australian hotel sector but above five-year returns of 7.7%.
Click to enlarge
<a href="/images/stories/2013/04/chartoftheweekapril10.gif" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/2013/04/chartoftheweekapril10thumb.gif"></a>
The IPD Asia-Pacific Hotel Property Index, which is sponsored by Jones Lang LaSalle and Ryan Lawyers, has a combined asset value of US$12 billion and provides a broad measure of returns for hotel property investment in the Asia Pacific region.
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lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

Australian hotel returns fall but still top regional property performer: Chart of the week

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ASIC has suspended the Australian financial services (AFS) licence of collapsed Gold Coast fund manager and property developer LM Investment Management Limited (LM) for two years.
LM is currently in the hands of voluntary administrators John Park and Ginette Muller of FTI Consulting.
"The terms of the AFS licence suspension do allow the voluntary administrators to provide financial services such as transfer to a new responsible entity, investigating or preserving the assets or winding up the registered managed investment schemes operated by LM," says ASIC. ASIC says it is continuing its inquiries in relation to the conduct of LM and will make no further comment at this time. LM is the responsible entity of the following registered managed investment schemes: 
<ul type="disc">
<li>LM Cash Performance Fund</li>
<li>LM First Mortgage Income Fund;</li>
<li>LM Currency Protected Australian Income Fund</li>
<li>LM Institutional Currency Protected Australian Income Fund</li>
<li>LM Australian Income</li>
<li>LM Australian Structured Products Fund; and</li>
<li>The Australian Retirement Living Fund</li>
</ul>
LM also operates the unregistered LM Managed Performance Fund - a $400 million fund which has provided a $249 million related party loan to the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/jamie-durie-s-garden-designs-wilt-as-gold-coast-mortgage-fund-manager-lm-investment-management-placed-in-voluntary-administration/2013032459976" target="_blank">$1 billion Maddison Estate project</a> and a $17 million related party loan to the Rhodes apartment project in Capalaba. 
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LM Investment Management financial services licence suspended by ASIC for two years

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Belgian-based international construction company Besix Group has acquired Kevin Seymour’s 15% holding in construction and property development group Watpac.
Besix is part of the joint venture that built the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, rising 800 metres.
The total acquisition of 15.6% of Watpac is subject to approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) and due for approval within 30 days.
BRW-rich lister Kevin Seymour retired as chairman of Watpac just over 12 months ago and was replaced by Mirvac executive Chris Freeman.
Seymour has told Watpac he intends to resign from the board in September.
In a statement to the ASX, Watpac said Besix has been "actively monitored the Australian market for many years".
Besix has also signed a memorandum of understanding to investigate joint venture opportunities with Watpac
Current Besix projects include the Ferrari Experience theme park in Dubai and the Carpe Diem office tower in Paris.
Besix is currently operating in the marine works sector in Australia as part of a joint venture project to build a construction port for an LNG terminal for Chevron at Wheatstone in WA.
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Belgian high-rise builder Besix to acquire Kevin Seymour’s 15% Watpac holding

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Richardson &amp; Wrench (R&amp;W) has joined other real estate groups by adding a mortgage broking and financial advisory referral service to its client offering.
Mortgage broking and financial advice will be provided by finance broking firm Shore Financial and available in more than 100 R&amp;W offices across NSW and Queensland.
Other real estate groups to offer home loan services to clients include McGrath Estate Agents, LJ Hooker, Ray White and Century 21.
Richardson &amp; Wrench is one of the oldest real estate groups in Australia, founded in 1858.
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Richardson & Wrench adds mortgage broking referral service to real estate offering

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Demand for fixed-rate home loans surged in March to its highest level since the GFC, according to Mortgage Choice loan application figures.
Fixed rate demand rose 9.17 percentage points from less than one in five borrowers (18%) in February to more than a quarter (28%) of borrowers in March.
This is the highest proportion to fix their home loan since March 2008 – a disastrous move by those borrowers back then as the RBA, having lifted the cash rate  successively in February and March of 2008 to 7.25%, then proceeded to dramatically cut the cash rate to 3% between September 2008 and May 2009 to stave off the worst of the GFC.
Borrowers on fixed-rates were left with much higher mortgage repayments than equivalent variable borrowers, as mortgage rates tumbled.
Given, the cash rate is already at 3% and not expected to fall much further, fixed-rate borrowers are unlikely to burned again.
Yesterday, Citibank announced cuts to its <a href="/news">two-year and three-year fixed rate home loans</a> with borrowers able to secure one-year and three-year fixed-rate below 5%.
The Mortgage Choice figures show that Queensland borrowers remain the most conservatively minded with demand for fixed-rate home loans rising in the Sunshine State from 14% to 37% from February to March.
“Queenslanders continue to lead the preference for fixed rate loans, month on month. However, the biggest movement was in South Australia where demand for fixed rate loans rose by 14.1 percentage points to hit 32.26% in March,” says Mortgage spokesperson, Belinda Williamson
“At the same time, Victorians finally started to catch up to the rest of the country with the uptake of fixed rate loans rising 8.88 percentage points to 19.96%.
“This was followed closely by Western Australia where demand rose by 8.51 percentage points over the month to reach 24.25% and New South Wales, which saw only a marginal increase of 4.57 percentage points to hit 24.51%.”
Williamson warns borrowers to consider all the pros and cons of this loan type before locking in.
“Apart from the often talked about ‘break fee’, which applies if you repay your loan in full or choose to switch loans during a fixed rate loan period, there are other, often lesser known facts about fixed rates to consider when weighing up your loan options,” she says.
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More than one in four fixing their home loan as demand rises to five year high: Mortgage Choice

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The proposed changes to super rules announced by the federal government last week will hit the back pockets of ordinary pensioners with small super balances not just those with property-laden self-managed super funds.
Federal treasurer Wayne Swan <a target="_blank" href="/news">announced that from July 1 2014</a>, earnings above $100,000 will be taxed at the same concessional rate of 15% that applies to earnings in the accumulation phase.
Swan said this would impact on just 16,000 account holders and result in a fairer superannuation system.
However, the announcement also included the extension of normal deeming rules to superannuation account-based income streams for the purposes of the age pension income test.
“Under the change announced today, standard pension deeming arrangements will apply to new superannuation account-based income streams assessed under the pension income test rules after 1 January 2015,” said Swan.
“All products held by pensioners before 1 January 2015 will be grandfathered indefinitely and continue to be assessed under the existing rules for the life of the product so no current pensioner will be affected, unless they choose to change products.
According to financial planner Phil Clinton the changes to deeming rules will mean that a single person with a modest pension of $150,000 will receive $26 less per week.
Speaking to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.2gb.com/article/pensioners-be-hit-hard-new-superannuation-rules">Ross Greenwood on 2GB</a>, Clinton, from Halcyon Wealth Advisers, explained that in the past if you had your money in an allocated pension – the next phase after accumulating it in a super fund – you would not be deemed to have earned anything from that fund and could claim a full pension.
“That was the benefit of having your money in that pension fund,” he said.
But under the proposed extension of deeming rules, from January 1 2015 the first $45,400 will be deemed to earn income at 2.5% and anything above that at a rate of 4%.
 
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Clinton provided the example of someone with a modest super fund worth a $150,000, who owns their own home (which is exempt from the asset test) and have bank accounts plus some home contents, which add up to less than $192,500 – the assets limit for a single homeowner before the age pension reduces.
“[Under the proposed changes] they are deemed to get 2.5% on the first $45,400, which equals $1,135 and the remaining $104,600 is deemed at 4%, which equals $4,185.
“So a pension would be deemed to earn a total of $5,319 that that they previously would not have earned.
“Currently they receive a full pension if their income does not exceed $152 a fortnight.
“Under this rule they will be deemed to have earned $204.57 per fortnight
“The pension reduces by 50 cents for every dollar over the $152 limit, so they will lose $26.28 per fortnight in pension,” said Clinton.
Clinton acknowledged the federal government's statement that products held by pensioners before January 1 2015 would be grandfathered indefinitely but said the key words were “for the life of the product”.
That he said was “the kicker”.
“What happens if you change from one allocated pension to another, you are now in a separate product?
“We don’t know for sure but they may remove the grandfathering in that case.”
As of March this year, a single person eligible for the full age pension can now expect an annual income of around $21,020.
A couple is eligible for around $31,700.
 
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Pensioners not just property-laden SMSFs to be hit by super changes: financial planner

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The construction sector contracted further in March falling by 6.6 points to an index reading of 39 points.

Readings below 50 indicate a contraction in the industry with the distance from 50 indicative of the strength of the decline.

This contraction followed a solid improvement in February, indicating that fragile conditions persist in the construction sector, said Australian Industry Group chief economist, Julie Toth.

“After the strong improvement in February the survey results for March are clearly disappointing and a further indicator of the fragility of conditions across the construction industry. 

“Driving the industry’s poorer performance was a return to contraction in house building and engineering construction, combined with sharper falls in commercial and apartment building activity. 

“Of concern, the current stretch of decline in new orders for the industry has now extended to 34 months as businesses continue to be hampered by a shortage of new work, project delays and weak investor sentiment. 

“The drop off in new orders was particularly sharp in the commercial construction sector reflecting a scaling back in public investment and on-going weakness in approvals," Toth says.  

<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/construction-sentiment-improving-but-not-yet-activity-master-builders-survey/2013040760208?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=news" target="_blank">Yesterday, the Master Builders national survey</a> of home builders and contractors forecast the building industry to improve in the medium term, but are still struggling in the short term.

Despite the improvement in sentiment, the survey found that overall construction conditions remain weak.

Last month, the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/commercial/construction-industry-to-contract-4-over-next-three-months-and-no-improvement-long-term-bci/2013031259831" target="_blank">BCI Media Group</a> forecast the construction industry to contract 4% over the three months to May 2013 and expects no major improvement in the construction sector over the next twelve months as the high Australian Dollar, tight company budgets, and tough bank lending criteria continue to squeeze the market.

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Construction sector contracts in March as conditions remain “fragile”: AIG/HIA index

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Expectations for the Adelaide housing market appear modest at best following the RBA’s assistant governor’s Christopher Kent's comment last month that this market has been “quite flat for a few years”.
The latest Australian Property Monitors (APM) data has Adelaide house prices up 0.4% over the year to January with units down 5.2%.
Both dwelling types recorded gains of 1.5% over the January quarter with a median house price of $438,000 and a median unit price of $276,000.
“The Adelaide housing market can look forward to modest price growth for 2013, with all indicators pointing to a slight improvement,” says APM in its latest report.
Other APM indicators also suggest the Adelaide market is heading in the right direction with average days on market reducing from 150 days a year ago to 136 as of February 2013, although the long-term average is 110 days.
The average discount required to sell a property has also reduced from 8.2% to 7.1% and is approaching a long-term average of 6.6%.
According to APM, there are 12,000 properties listed for sale in Adelaide, 7% less than a year ago but 13.5% higher than the long-term trend.
“Low interest rates will activate the Adelaide housing market through 2012, although activity levels and prices growth will be modest,” says APM.
“This is consistent with Adelaide’s house price cycle which is typically less volatile than the other major capitals.”
“Local economic performance may provide a continuing brake on housing market activity, with the latest ABS unemployment data reporting an Adelaide January unemployment rate of 6.7% – clearly the highest of all the major capitals and nearly a percent higher than the rate recorded over January 2012.”
In a further sign of future pick-up, February ABS building approval figures show a 23% lift in South Australian dwelling approvals.
“The strong result took the number of approvals to the highest monthly tally in over eighteen months. Hopefully this is a sign that the state may be emerging from the cyclical low,” said the HIA’s Geordan Murray.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Richard Thwaites, principal of the Kensington office for LJ Hooker, says the Adelaide market is on a "fairly level plain" but properties are selling.
“We had 12 registered bidders at an auction in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Gilberton</a> and 7 for a property in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Rose Park</a> - both lower to middle-end properties," he tells Property Observer.
“Both properties sold over the initial reserve price.”
Thwaites says there are people in the market place buying, but it is price sensitive.
“Anyone who wants yesterday’s prices won’t sell,” he says.
He also notes investor appetite, due to people being wary of super and wanting a “second bite of the cherry”.
Closer to the CBD always perennial always a market, there are buyers, but being circumspect as to how much they will spend.
He says there are also a number of people looking to upgrade as families.
“They don’t want to travel too far to go to school, but they are not selling before they buy.
At the upper end of the market ($1.5 million plus), the perception is that there is no rush to buy.
Thwaites says the sentiment is: “If I miss out on this one, I won’t get caught out by price. Prices won’t jump 10%.”
In its latest April market wrap, valuers Herron Todd White reports that the Adelaide residential market is “not really moving in any direction” and says it could be in for an “extended period of flat-lining”.
On a more positive note, HTW says that property values appear to have reached the bottom of the cycle and now are holding fairly steady. 
“Houses are being bought and sold but transaction volumes remain low while it appears that more people are currently looking or showing interest in residential property than there has been for a couple of years, there is still a reluctance to actually act,” says HTW.
HTW speculates that the overall lack of market activity is holding back upgraders over concerns they may not be able to sell their existing home or that they may have to sell for less money than they think their house is worth or in fact less than they paid.
“We believe that second and third home owners are probably the most active in the market at the moment.
“With property more affordable than at its peak late in 2010, there are those looking to take advantage of the situation and are currently looking to upgrade to larger dwellings or relocate into more desirable suburbs.
“Prestige property also appears to be selling quite well once released to market and with recent price corrections can offer very good value for money.
“Currently first home buyers do not appear to be very active and this may be due to concerns over job security, cost of living and general uncertainty.”
 
 
 
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Signs of life but no great expectations for Adelaide property market

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Citibank has today cut its two-year home loan rate to 4.99% per annum and reduced its three-year fixed home loan rate to 5.14%.
This is the first announced fixed-rate cut in more than two weeks.
The last lender to announce<a href="/news"> fixed-rate cuts was CUA</a>, which cut its three-year fixed-rate to 5.1% on March 20.
A day earlier, Westpac ended its <a href="/news">4.99% two-year fixed-rate promotion</a> pushing this rate up to 5.29% under its package home loan offering.
"Based on recent research, we know that nearly one in three new borrowers locked in a fixed rate on their home loan during March 2013,” says Belen Lopez Denis, head of mortgage marketing at Citibank.
Citibank is offering two other mortgage promotions currently
The bank is offering a free 60-day rate lock which allows customers a guaranteed low fixed rate for 60 days after their application has been submitted, protecting them from rate alterations before their settlement date.
It will also refund the $750 application and switching fee to customers who apply to refinance their current home loan before April 30 2013.
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Citibank cuts two-year fixed-rate home loan to 4.99%

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Superannuation fund bosses have warned that funds could flow out of superannuation accounts following <a target="_blank" href="/news">government changes announced last week</a> that will see income streams above $100,000 taxed at a rate of 15% from July next year.
Alex Hutchison, chief executive at Energy Industry Super chief executive, said people with higher superannuation balances might consider other options outside of super such as property.
"More people will change their affairs to negatively gear and go into property," he said as part of a Money Management roundtable.
John Livanas, chief executive of public sector fund State Super warned of a “huge risk of outflows” from super as happened when the superannuation surcharge was introduced in 1996.
“The moment confidence reduces [in the super], the question as to whether to commute pensions come into question,” Livanas.
Also participating in the Money Management roundtable, Tom Garcia, chief executive of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, held similar concerns.
The most recent APRA figures show that total estimated superannuation assets increased to $1.51 trillion in the December 2012 quarter, a 14.6% increase over the 12 months to December 2012.
As of December 31 2012, self-managed superannuation funds held the largest proportion of superannuation assets accounting for 31.5% of assets with $474 billion compared with $410 billion at the start of 2012.
There were 496,000 SMSF funds at the end of the December 2012 quarter up from 460,000 at the start of the year.
Retail funds account for 26.4% of total super assets. Industry funds account for 19.5% of total assets, public sector funds 15.7% and corporate funds 3.8%.
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Funds could flow out of super and into property following government changes: super bosses

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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