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<h2>OPINION:</h2>

The people with the loudest voices in the property industry (or those that like the sound of theirs the most) have been urgently spruiking who or what will make the biggest contribution to THE <a href="/guides/covid-19-how-to-adapt-to-working-from-home">FUTURE OF WORK</a>:

“This is the end of the office as we know it.”

“Working from home will be the new norm for many.”

“Co-working caught in the falling occupancy crunch.”

“In the past 2-3 weeks, <a href="/news/how-to-effectively-manage-a-remote-workplace-during-social-distancing">COVID-19 has advanced</a> the flex-space industry by 5-7 years”

“Star of Netflix hit series Tiger King claims his parks can also double as touchdown offices.”

(The last quote may or may not have been said.)

What we do know is this: the future of work is being framed by the greatest period of content creation and consumption in human history. 

Let’s take a little test.

How many times today do you remember reading or hearing the words “remote”, “flexible” and “collaboration”:

A. 50-75 times 
B. 75-100 times 
C. 100+ times

Now, before we were seduced by the omnipresent future of the work news cycle, we had a little problem on our hands. 

When I say “we” I mean our <a href="/news/density-sprawl-growth-how-australian-cities-have-changed-in-the-last-30-years">cities</a>, its law makers and its people. And when I say “little” I mean the greatest problem facing the property industry in history.

Today we lost another high street veteran. After 58 years of being that source of truth for Blundstones, head-torches and pocket knives, Aussie Disposals closed its 30-something strong network of tent flaps. Forever.

When we talk the future of work, imagine if there was something that could:

1. Create a use for retail premises that apartment developers don’t want to build

2. Help sell and lease apartments

3. Provide a product that aligns with the apartment developers &amp; residents aspirations that absolutely, definitely isn’t another nail salon

4. Reduce <a href="/news/grattan-institute">congestion</a> on roads and freeways

5. Relieve pressure on public <a href="/news/melbournes-revised-transport-strategy-2030-aims-to-deliver-870-billion-boost-to-economy">transport networks</a>

6. Allow large businesses and small to have a presence close to where people live, that isn’t their homes

7. <a href="https://www.inc.com/sujan-patel/20-creative-ways-to-boost-employee-morale">Improves staff morale</a>

8. Is a net contributor to communities by keeping people local, for longer?

These are just a few. For anyone that is interested, my list currently stands at 76 and is growing daily.

Despite the horrific din created by us know-it-alls in the past few weeks, I haven’t read anything that comes close to solving as many problems and creating as many benefits as the sensible, sustainable repurposing of shops into offices. 

Anyway, it’s just another idea to throw into your future of work consumption for today.
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Melvie

The Future of Work Discussion is Missing its Biggest Opportunity

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<h2>OPINION:</h2>

As the curve begins to flatten and we all <a href="/guides/covid-19-how-apartment-dwellers-can-keep-themselves-safe-during-self-isolation">join together to stave off</a> this deadly virus, many of us around the country are taking this opportunity to focus one’s attention on good old health and fitness.

Whilst there is little doubt the high street has borne the brunt of the digital age these past few years, it is safe to say those retailers who went into this lockdown stocked with home fitness equipment, running shoes, training gear and alike have never had it so good. Never before have so many wild MAMIL’s (middle-aged men in lycra) been seen trundling up and down our roads with such devotion.

Most, you would hope, are fully aware that their reward, their trophy for such dedication will not materialise with a run out on the hallowed turf of the MCG, nor hold pace with the peloton in the Pyrenees this June. They will, I’m sure, swagger their way to their next periodic health check with little doubt that nothing more than ample praise awaits them from their trusted GP.

Now ask yourself this, if you’re willing to grind out the km’s, to calorie count your way past the chocolate aisle in search of the ever-evasive rolls of necessity, why is it that so few of us take a good proper look at our financial health?

It is no secret that Australia’s household debt levels are <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-18/household-debt-leaves-australians-working-longer-spending-less/11608016">mightily high</a>, the comparisons to the USA pre-2008 are hard to miss. A soaring property market backed by increasingly cheaper availability of credit has left the average Australian wondering just how they’re going to meet their monthly repayments.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/covid-19_health_check-2.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/covid-19_health_check-2.jpg?itok=3vu6ZsVg" width="580"></a>

<figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Take car loans for example, <a href="https://www.whichcar.com.au/car-news/aussies-crippled-by-8b-car-debt-report">according to WhichCar</a>, more than $8 billion was borrowed by Australians to buy new cars in 2018 alone. It doesn’t matter how much pavement stomping you’ve been up to these past few weeks, that’s an insane amount of debt when you think we’re a <a href="/news/how-close-is-melbourne-to-becoming-a-polycentric-city">population of just over 25 million people</a>.

Whilst a looming credit bubble has been appearing on the horizon for some time now, no-one could have predicted the <a href="/expert-insights/buying/opinion-is-the-impact-of-covid-19-a-repeat-of-sars-for-the-property-market">shock of a COVID-19</a> style disaster and the impact the lockdowns are having on individuals and businesses alike.

There has never been a more important time to understand the health of your finances, to position yourself to weather the economic uncertainty and ensure you’re structured in the most credit-worthy position you can be. Whether you’re looking to <a href="/guides/2019/06/17/urbans-first-home-buyer-guide">buy your first home</a>, fine tune your existing investment portfolio or position yourself to purchase your next <a href="/guides/how-to-invest-in-property-in-2020-the-ultimate-guide">investment property</a>, a financial health check with a quality finance specialist is a must.

Just like your GP assessing you at your next health check-up, there are a few main pillars a finance specialist will ensure are in place when it comes to giving you a clean bill of financial health. One of the most important is refinancing. Assessing your current debts and evaluating what options are available to your specific situation. Whether it’s taking advantage of better interest rate opportunities, or consolidating your liabilities into one monthly payment, you’ll find a good financial health check will give you the same piece of mind, the same road map to success that you many have started following for your health. 
 
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Covid-19: Health Check or Financial Health Check, Which is More Important Right Now?

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<h2>OPINION:</h2>

The Coronavirus pandemic is like <a href="/expert-insights/buying/how-will-the-coronavirus-impact-australia-s-property-market">nothing experienced before</a> on a global scale. How we respond to the outbreak and how we work together to keep informed and react to this situation is vital. For us in strata management there are unique challenges in keeping people safe who live in strata communities and for those who service our communities such as cleaners, waste collectors and maintenance staff. Knowing that people may be losing their incomes due to job losses also presents challenges in financial security of an Owners Corporation.

As an <a href="/news/taking-an-active-approach-to-strata-services">Owners Corporation Management busines</a>s, we should understand that people in strata communities are looking to their managers for leadership, professional direction and comfort, knowing they are doing all they can. We need to take our role seriously and reassess our responsibilities daily. Regular communication is important, including direct communications with owners and building managers, updates on websites and posts to social media to help provide clarity and comfort to all stakeholders.

Specific strategies which can be implemented include:

<h2>Protecting the Safety of Strata Managers</h2>

To protect the safety of strata managers, many Owners Corporation Managers have ceased personal visits to buildings and rely on their teams of cleaners and contractors to erect signs and ensure all cleaning and maintenance of common areas is carried out with increased hygiene and safety. These teams have also been relied upon to close common areas where required. Managers then need to supply a full explanation to tenants so there is no misunderstanding of the actions being taken. People who are well-informed of what is happening prevent any confusion.

<h2>COVID-19 Information Portal</h2>

A COVID-19 specific portal can be created with essential information people may be looking for with regards to their community and their own personal welfare. This portal can be updated regularly with new information as it becomes available and can be shared through social media channels. Information may include guides for committees and residents, how to run strata meetings, the changes which can be implemented into managing buildings during this time, cash flow and financial risks plus links to the various Government Assistance Packages people and businesses are able to access.

<h2>Communicating with Owners and Property Managers</h2>

Communicating directly with Owners and Property Managers through personal email should be essential. These communications may include updates on what is happening with the spread of the Coronavirus, what is happening within their strata community and actions the Owners Corporation are taking to manage and help overcome challenges that may lay ahead.

<h2>Cashflow Stress Testing</h2>

Modeling of potential scenarios ensures that responding to all possible outcomes is considered. This may be in the form of a cash flow stress test. This involves possible scenarios where levies may not be paid by up to 30% of owners. What is discretionary and non-discretionary spending and will the budget still support what is essential. Services such as carpet cleaning and window cleaning services may be considered as discretionary spending and paused through this time.

<h2>Keeping up to date with Government Directives and Advice</h2>

There are plenty of resources and information being shared by the state and federal governments daily. Keeping well informed and gaining information from reputable sources is important.

Resources include:

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/">Victorian Department of Health and Human Services</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/">Premier of Victoria</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.health.gov.au/">Australian Government – Department of Health</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/">Prime Minister of Australia</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/">Services Australia</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.business.vic.gov.au/">Business Victoria</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Strata Community Association</h2>

There has been highly relevant information, specifically directed at the impact to the strata title industry coming from <a href="https://www.strata.community/">Strata Community Association</a> (Victoria) and Strata Community Association (National) who have both released information on a regular basis. Resources have included the following:

<ul>
<li>Community Safety Posters</li>
	<li>Building Manager Services Guidelines</li>
	<li>Victorian State of Emergency Post Update</li>
	<li>Guide for Committees</li>
	<li>Guide for Residents</li>
	<li>Communications to Residents</li>
</ul>
Finally, the most important message for all strata managers is to keep communicating. People become anxious or annoyed when they don’t know what is happening. This is an unsettling time for everyone. By keeping owners, tenants, building managers, service suppliers and other stakeholders informed, this should result in limited confusion and even some form of comfort in knowing the managers of their Owners Corporation care.
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An Owners Corporation’s response to dealing with COVID-19

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<h2>OPINION:</h2>

Recently due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, journalists and economists are flooding in with their own opinions about how the <a href="/expert-insights/buying/how-will-the-coronavirus-impact-australia-s-property-market">property market</a> will fall to a certain degree. 

Martin North from Digital Finance Analytics even went to the extreme in claiming that house prices will suffer between 20-30% in <a href="/developments/sydney-nsw">Sydney</a> and <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic">Melbourne</a>. 

There is still so much noise in the property market at the moment and our confidence may be shaken, despite the fact that Melbourne’s house price has just surged to the record-high values in February 2020 exemplifying a huge turnaround in a relatively short period of time.

I would like to reiterate on why I am remaining highly confident in Australia’s property market, especially on the residential market. To me, investing in property is still one of the best investments that any Australian who has the ability to do so, can make in their lifetime to secure a better off financial future. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/how-people-get-rich-paths-to-wealth-2019-9">According to Thomas Corley</a>, who has spent 5 years analysing how wealthy people accumulate wealth, he found that there are generally 4 paths to wealth which are saver-investor, top corporate senior executive, virtuoso and dreamer-entrepreneur. Among the 4 paths, saver-investor is a path that more than 80% of people can take as Australia has the world’s highest minimum wage. Saver-investor requires enormous financial discipline and long-term commitment as you need to consistently save 20% or more of your income to invest.

Personally, I have known so many people who have become financially independent through investing in property. According to the BRW Rich 200 list, which is published each year, <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/industries/property/four-property-lessons-australias-richest-people/">property has consistently been the major source of wealth for Australia’s multimillionaires</a> and it’s the same all over the world. Property investment is unlike investing in any other products like shares or funds, you need to work on borrowing from banks, manage the property (or find someone to do it) after you settle, and it may requires you to manage your cash flow very well. 

However, over the long term it pays off as you will get more experienced and you will find the process of building an investment property portfolio a fun act. 

Here are the reasons that keep me confident in Australia’s property market in this unprecedented time:

<h2>1. Continuous Population Growth
</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/4reasons-1.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="281" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/4reasons-1.jpg?itok=OngVU_bD" width="580"></a>

<figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Australia has a high proportion of migrants. Our major capital cities like Melbourne, <a href="/developments/sydney-nsw">Sydney</a> and Adelaide are consistently ranked in the top 10 most liveable cities in the world. Therefore, Australia is very appealing for people around the world to consider migrating over. In the year 2018, the total net overseas migration was 237,224 people. Population growth is the most fundamental element in the property market as it is always about supply and demand when it comes to capital growth. Continuous population growth will ensure there is always demand for housing. After all, all of us need a place to stay. This will lead me to my second point which is supply.

Source: abr.gov.au

<h2>2. Sharp fall in number of dwellings
</h2>

In July 2017, the Australian government imposed a very strict and tight policy in Australia’s property market. The lending policy has been tightened so drastically in order to prevent the property market becoming bubbles like how the American did years ago. Besides that, the state government started to impose foreign stamp duty tax on all foreign investors. The government has also removed the benefits of stamp duty incentive for off-the plan properties. These changes had hit the property market very hard. New housing developments struggle to sell and get finance for construction. Many developers have put aside their projects as the foreign investors cooled off their interest to invest. Therefore the supply would be very limited in the coming years.

Source: Reserve Bank of Australia; ABS Building Approvals

<h2>3. 70% of residential market is owner occupiers
</h2>

According to ATO figures in April 2017, 91.53% of Australians do not invest in property. It has been estimated by Peter Waxman from the Department of Land Economics at Sydney’s University of Technology that the total value of all residential dwellings in Australia is about $2.5 trillion. However the owner occupiers own about 70% of these properties. Think about it, the rest of 30% of residential properties are owned by 8.47% of Australians and foreign investors. This means that the 70% home ownership is a huge advantage when things turn sour in the market. People will not simply sell their own house as it is a roof over their heads. They might sell shares, funds, but they will do whatever they can to protect their own home. The property price will not fluctuate easily like the share market does.

<h2>4. The government and banks are in this together
</h2>

No one will know the exact impact of what the COVID-19 pandemic will cause to our economy. Unemployment rates will soar, economic growth will halt, but the government will look to the housing market as an early driver of revitalising economies as we have seen that during GFC and back even in the 1980-81 recession where Bob Hawke introduced the <a href="/guides/how-to-navigate-australias-first-home-buyer-grants">first home buyer grant</a>. Unlike all previous financial crises that we have witnessed, this time the government has put in so much economic stimulus to help people and businesses to get through the tough time together. Even the banks are standing by together by allowing people to defer mortgage repayment by 6 months. This has greatly prevented many people from panic selling mode. It certainly helps people with financial hardship to be able to hold on to their property. 

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/4reasons-2.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="411" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/4reasons-2.jpg?itok=a3hVWNmZ" width="580"></a>

<figcaption> </figcaption></figure>At this point in time it is hard to imagine the potential outcomes of this global event. However it is worth remembering that investing in property is a long term approach. The fundamentals are still there to strongly support the property market. With the support from the government through various stimulus packages, the casualties can be expected to be kept at a low level. When the pandemic is over and the economy is back up and running, it will be business as usual and the market will reward those who have kept their faith.
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4 Reasons To Have Faith in Australia’s Property Market for the long run

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In comparison to other outbreaks, for example, SARS in 2003, based on the swiftness of Government, The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and the Bank’s responses; Australia and the world are in a better place to ride out COVID 19.

The <a href="/news/covid-19-how-the-world-previously-recovered-from-sars-and-whether-or-not-we-can-do-the-same-this-time-round">previous SARS</a> event caused a short term slowing in <a href="/guides/how-to-navigate-buying-property-during-the-covid-19-crisis">our property market</a>. China’s output slowed down for a few months. Its market bounced back up once the outbreak was under control and the introduction of economic stimulus.

Below is an extract from “<a href="https://repository.upenn.edu/real-estate_papers/64/">Has SARS infected the property market? Evidence from Hong Kong</a>” by Grace Wong Journal of Urban Economics 63 (2008) 74–95 (complete paper attached appendix 1)

“Several noteworthy results emerge from this analysis. A Hong Kong-wide price decrease of 1.6 percent above the preceding trend is identified after the start of the epidemic for all housing estates, as well as an additional decrease of less than 3 percent for the average SARS-affected estate, i.e., those that were publicly known to have had SARS cases or were mentioned in the newspapers  in relation  to  SARS.  The implied economic value of life, from $121,000 to just over $1 million, falls towards the lower end of the range based on studies of less extreme risks. Although the nature of the SARS risk limits the extent to which this value of life estimate can be generalized, it helps put the SARS-related price decline in perspective. Given the low implied values of life, I conclude there is no evidence for price overreaction.”

In Hong Kong during SARS, the average price decline was 1-3%  in SARS-affected estates and 1.6% for all other estates. The Australian property market had a slowing in transaction numbers. However, prices continued to increase (albeit at a slower pace) well into 2005. 
Our property prices didn’t suffer significant setbacks during the Swine Flu outbreak in 2009/2010. It stabilised, and there was little growth. However, the swine flu occurred between the Global Financial Crisis in 2008/2009 and the mining downturn 2011/2012. Other economic downturns that impacted, such as unemployment and housing activity.

With COVID 19, we are not even waiting a few months for the release of economic stimulus, and the Government is already taking action. COVID-19 may feel more ‘extreme’ due to the swiftness of the virus’s infected cases in Australia, the lockdown of many countries, requests of <a href="/guides/covid-19-how-apartment-dwellers-can-keep-themselves-safe-during-self-isolation">self-isolation</a> and cancellation of many significant events and restrictions on business operations (particularly small businesses). However, at the same time, there is an economic stimulus swiftly introduced to assist during these trying times, and there have been massive advancements in technology (compared to 2003 and 2009), that will allow many businesses to innovate their ways to do business.

The previous breakout of SARS caused a decrease of 1.6% to the Hong Kong property market, and this did not have the current Australian initiatives and factors to minimise any short-term consequences:

a.     Interest rates in Australia are low. 
b.     The current exchange rate of the Australian currency is low. 
c.     There was Immediate Government intervention with both short-term controls and $320.0 Billion of incentives. 
d.    One of Australia’s major exports is resources which continue (volumes have not been affected by demand or production) to show price increases across the board, other than lithium.

<h2>The trend of COVID 19</h2>

In the last nine days, the rate of COVID 19 infection as of the 9th April 2020 across Australia (refer graph below) has dropped across Australia and Victoria. There is a clear trend in comparison to the previous direction from early March.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/graph-1.png" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="338" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/graph-1.png?itok=rlN5sJGG" width="580"></a>

<figcaption> </figcaption></figure>     Australian new COVID 19 cases of infection as at 1/4/2020 across Australia sourced Australian Government

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/graph-2.png" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="143" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/graph-2.png?itok=xHNabjK_" width="580"></a></figure>     The ABC (Australian Broadcast Corporation) website

The previous graphs show a compelling trend that the rate of infection is dropping and most likely will continue to decline.

We have not seen the end of the COVID 19 infection rate, but the end is in sight.

In an article in the Australian Financial Review on the 7th of April, the Australian Prime Minister has already started to discuss the staged relaxation of the COVID 19 measures that they introduced.

<h2>Pent up demand, China’s recovery</h2>

China is further advanced in this COVID 19 recovery cycle. Last week there was a 5% increase in prices and activity in the top 30 tier-one cities in China. Pent up demand has been the nominated factor.

Rising land prices have the potential to drive up home prices in a market under close scrutiny by the country’s policymakers. In March, new home prices were up 4.2%, 12.2% and 11.4% year-on-year in 70 of China’s first-, second- and third-tier cities respectively, <a href="http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/sjjd/201904/t20190416_1659685">according to data released</a> (link in Mandarin) by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in mid-April.
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Opinion: Is the impact of COVID-19 a repeat of SARS for the property market?

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<h2>OPINION:</h2>

The <a href="/expert-insights/buying/how-will-the-coronavirus-impact-australia-s-property-market">COVID-19 crisis</a> has undoubtedly presented real estate agents around the world with never-before-seen challenges and opportunities.

The challenges are associated with managing a business with substantial ‘essential’ outgoings such as portal and data subscriptions in an environment of decreased revenue, with no endpoint or resolution currently insight.

It is an opportunity to assist our clients with advice about how to manage their real estate – whether it be their home or an investment property – to ensure they are in the best position to hold their property or sell if and when they need to.

While we as real estate agents have been adopting paperless and online transaction and communication tools or ‘proptech’, we have been unknowingly preparing for the current situation created by the COVID-19 crisis.

<a href="/guides">Virtual open homes</a> allow buyers or lessees to walk through a property no matter where they are located or what sort of device they have – laptop, desktop, mobile phone or tablet. It means that overseas or interstate buyers can <a href="/guides/home-inspection-checklist-step-by-step">inspect both Off the Plan</a> and live listings with a 360-degree view of each room and the garden.

This assists us as agents before we arrange to conduct a private inspection which complies with the health and safety guidelines. Vendors are assured that buyers are being kept interested in their property listing.

In essence, we are educating both vendors and buyers to embrace the online environment, managing the sale process from appraisal through to listing, online auction, and contract to sign through digital enterprise and communication software.

We are reshaping desire and in doing so, inviting a global audience into an on-line agency.

A buyer located anywhere on the planet with an internet connection can now find, inspect and transact on a property securely and completely online. Brand awareness grows and quality marketing becomes of utmost importance, as does the security of the transaction.

The outcome of the COVID-19 lockdown means that tools such as social media and DocuSign will play a greater role in our day to day business. In fact, the speed and security of transmission of signed contract documents compared to hand delivery and snail mail will assure the future recognition and adoption of tools such as DocuSign.

Online timed auctions and live-streamed auctions are also likely to remain a standard part of the sales landscape.

The fact that the major real estate sales portal subscriptions are so expensive by comparison with social media advertising suggests that agents and vendors will stick with this mode of marketing long after the crisis has passed.

The focus on the agent as an individual providing a personal service, which really underpins an agent’s success no matter where they are located or which agency they are with, is another reason social media channels such as Facebook will continue to grow as an advertising medium. 

The cost-effectiveness of social media also means that agents are able to provide better value for the vendor’s advertising dollar. Agents are delivering a personalised recommendation for a property through a convenient and cost-effective medium. It’s a win for the seller, the agent and the buyer and a great return on investment.

As an agent with a prestige property agency, my focus has been on providing advice and guidance to property owners, particularly focussing on preparing properties for sale ‘ post-COVID-19”. 

Agents are providing up-to-the-minute advice to both landlords and renters, buyers and sellers, about working within the restrictions in place in each state. As part of a highly skilled professional team, the focus is on taking the stress out of these constantly evolving and challenging times while ensuring the process of buying, selling, leasing or renting a home can continue.

At the end of the day, people need a roof over their heads. Shelter is an essential requirement for every person on earth. A professional agent’s approach ensures superior property marketing and quality service continues whilst adhering to all relevant health and safety regulations. The COVID-19 crisis means people are more online than ever before, and becoming more familiar with technology, communication software, and social media.

It’s a great opportunity as a local real estate agent to let your commitment to personal service and your local community to shine through.

We as agents have the opportunity to demonstrate that we can create value for our clients and communicate that <a href="/guides/how-to-navigate-buying-property-during-the-covid-19-crisis">value to buyers</a>. We can be the trusted advisor in their hour of need, and ‘on the other side’ demonstrate to our clients and the general public, that we can be an integral part of the economic engine room that will need to fire up to get Australia going again.

We can all embrace online property enterprise and re-shape real estate desire 2020 style.
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How are real estate agents assisting during the COVID-19 crisis?

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<h2>OPINION:</h2>

This is a call for government, business and landlords to action new and creative measures to help small businesses get back on their feet again in late 2020 and beyond.

As an urban planner I am motivated by the opportunity to help create and manage successful cities, towns and communities. 

Australia's cities and towns are currently facing social and economic threats that have never been experienced before in the lifetime of its citizens.

Urban planners have a critical role to play in not only immediately responding to the <a href="/expert-insights/buying/how-will-the-coronavirus-impact-australia-s-property-market">COVID 19 crisis</a> but we also must have plans for contributing to the rebuild of our economy once the immediate threat passes.

An immediate focus must remain on supporting the continuity of construction activity - pushing on with planning approvals, getting rid of red tape and fast-tracking applications where necessary to ensure a <a href="/developments">development-ready</a> pipeline of projects and the many jobs they create.

But we must also work on solutions now that can be deployed once the current lockdown requirements are lifted. This is likely to only be a matter of months away.

This article proposes some ideas to help the sectors that have been hit the hardest so far - retail, hospitality, tourism, the creative industries and arts, entertainment, recreation and many types of service industries.

These are enterprises who have had their revenues disappear in an instant, and the demand for these services will take time to build up again. Demand is likely to gradually re-emerge over maybe a 6-18-month period.

It will be a fragile time –the public will be wary about how they spend their time and money, and they will take a while to become comfortable with <a href="/guides/covid-19-is-it-possible-to-practise-social-distancing-at-home-absolutely">socialising </a>in the wider community again.

A mix of re-emerging, re-imagined, and new businesses will step forward to meet this demand.

These businesses will need to operate as start-ups <a href="/guides/covid-19-how-to-adapt-to-working-from-home">working off lean resources</a> for potentially extended periods. Many won’t have great access to capital or an established customer base, and many will be building (or rebuilding) their company/product brand. 

But what they will have is a burning desire to succeed, a willingness to try new ideas, form partnerships and work hard, all on the smell of an oily rag.

<h2>So, what can urban planners do to help in this rebuilding process?</h2>

It is likely that there will be many vacant shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, offices and warehouses across our suburbs at the end of the lockdown phase. Landlords will be keen to get tenants back into these spaces as soon as possible, but there will be few tenants that will be able to take on the rent costs that existed in the pre-COVID 19 phase.

New businesses and those in a rebuilding phase alike will also be reluctant to take on rigid rent terms, particularly long leases. Even businesses that trade through the current period and negotiate the suspension of rent payments will be faced with significant debts that will affect their ongoing ability to trade once the grace period ends.

In this environment, the opportunity exists for planners, businesses, and landlords to work together on a '<a href="https://leanurbanism.org/">lean urbanism</a>' model for supporting new and re-emerging businesses to get going again. 

What I am proposing is that in designated locations, the State government, local councils and business associations work with landlords and businesses who are re-starting (or starting-up) to revitalise places suffering from (or at risk of) high vacancy.

This program would enable businesses to make low-risk and low-cost transitions from new and possibly interim operations into more sustainable and permanent arrangements during the recovery phase.  

The program would see urban planners, property owners and business associations band together to reimagine our suburban strip centres and industrial areas as places for the incubation and growth of new businesses. 

Such places can be designated as ‘enterprise zones’, experimental and opportunistic areas where start-ups can simply turn up and try new ideas in popup and temporary spaces, where they are supported by landlords and government to get up and running again.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/post_covid-19-2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="post covid-19-2"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="339" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/post_covid-19-2.jpg?itok=_EdJJ35M" title="post covid-19-2" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>[Image Credit: www.millcastlemaine.com.au]</figcaption></figure>Whilst these ideas could potentially be applied to any business operating anywhere, there are particular benefits to be gained in concentrating the initial efforts on creating local business clusters, where a shared amenity and collective identity can be created, and where marketing, programming, and business development efforts can be shared.

The clustering of complementary types of businesses together can have a powerful effect on drawing customers and rebuilding the social and commercial value of such places.

Local business associations would market and curate such places with events, activities, and promotions, providing a level of activation that supports business and provides opportunities for the community to re-engage with the outside world. 

Landlords would participate by agreeing to license space for start-ups on a low cost and temporary basis. Incentives such as reduced land tax, municipal rates or other COVID 19-related recovery funding could be offered to landlords who agree to participate in the program.

All landlords know it’s easier to find a long-term commercial tenant when you’ve got an occupied, well-presented site in a location with strong branding and footfall. Several progressive commercial property developers are already providing below-market-rate rents to amenity enhancing smaller tenants as they see the value these tenants bring in attracting larger anchor tenants down the line.

The small businesses themselves would provide sweat equity in fitting out spaces, as well as working together to create a definable character and identity for their business precinct. 

<h2>It has been done before, so it can be done again.</h2>

There are precedents for this approach that we can draw from. 

Similar strategies were deployed in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Re:START">Christchurch</a> after the earthquake, and in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. 

<a href="https://www.popbrixton.org/about/">Pop Brixton</a> in the United Kingdom is another successful example of a temporary project that has disused places into an event venue and a community of independent retailers, restaurants, street food start-ups, and social enterprises. With over 30 enterprises on-site (including 17 restaurants and cafes) it is huge population local destination in London.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/post_covid-19-3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="post covid-19-3"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="327" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/post_covid-19-3.jpg?itok=7jRw5Cqj" title="post covid-19-3" width="580"></a>

<figcaption> </figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.holzmarkt.com/">Holzmarkt</a> in Berlin is another such example, where the community has worked with the government and the private sector to create a vibrant, self-built space for business, arts, and culture.

Locally the success of <a href="https://renewnewcastle.org/">Renew Newcastle</a> provides a homegrown example of how destitute shopping strips can be transformed by creative thinking and adaptable agreements between landlords and local enterprises.

The role of the urban planner in all of this is to work with landowners and businesses to agree on a place-based plan for these activities and to remove the red tape by allowing businesses to turn up and start trading. It will also be necessary to remove or streamline various other forms of regulation relating to things like outdoor dining, liquor licensing and building regulations.

Urban planners within local government are perfectly positioned to take a lead role in coordinating the government input to such a program.

We can learn from the experiences of places like the City of Detroit in the use of lean urbanism. It has adopted an innovative ‘<a href="https://detroitmi.gov/departments/planning-and-development-department/zoning-innovation-and-historic-preservation/mix-tape-zoning">Mix Tape</a>’ planning ordinance to facilitate the revitalisation of 36 miles of commercial corridors across its municipality. This new ordinance allows for a wide mix of ‘as of right’ uses, and it eases parking requirements, and it sets a series of simple minimum design standards. It is accompanied by targeted streetscape improvements and the removal of other types of business regulation.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/post_covid-19-4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="post covid-19-4"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="353" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/post_covid-19-4.jpg?itok=suEw2cPr" title="post covid-19-4" width="580"></a>

<figcaption> </figcaption></figure>We already have this type of tool available in Victoria - the <a href="https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/391152/PPN85-Applying_the_Commercial_3_Zone-v3.pdf">Commercial 3 zone</a> was specifically developed with a nimbler, lower-barrier economy in mind.  

Whilst implementing this zone would be an outcome worthy of pursuing many locations, we need not wait for this to happen. Instead, we can trial new ideas via the temporary use of space, and/or by suspending certain planning and other regulations in designated locations. 

In the short term, it would be possible to make progress by designating places in Melbourne where uses are allowed to just start happening on an interim basis. Just like we allow markets and events as temporary uses, we could allow a range of other commercial activities to occur on an interim basis. 

The Queensland Government has already initiated legislative reforms along these lines in response to COVID 19, by creating <a href="https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/planning/planning-legislation-amendment">temporary use licenses</a> for certain types of businesses.

Sorting out the ultimate zoning and regulatory arrangements can be a job for another day.

It would even be possible (if there was enough will amongst regulators) to allow spaces to be temporarily used as live and work-spaces – so that the cost of living and working for start-ups was kept as low as possible. 

Of course, certain minimum standards relating to amenities, health, and human safety would have to be adhered to, but it would be possible to suspend the need for a change of use permits and many other types of approvals on the basis that the uses were temporary in nature.

<h2>Time for new ‘Neighbourhood Deals’ ?</h2>

In the great depression of the 1920s US President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated the ‘New Deal’ – a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations aimed at getting that nation back on its feet.

In Australia today, the various State and Federal Government reforms are already taking on a similar character and magnitude to Roosevelt’s original New Deal. There will be more national and state-led recovery programs to follow in the coming months.

We can add to this effort at the local level by creating ‘Neighbourhood Deals’ between government and landowners whereby neighbourhoods are designated as special enterprise zones where the priority is to support and nurture start-up business activity. The Deal would be that the Government would agree to eliminate red tape and invest in local amenity and placemaking activities, and landowners would agree to make space available to re-emerging and start-up businesses on low-cost and flexible terms.

All signatories to the Neighbourhood Deal would sign on to the principle that decisions will be made that are in the best interests of growing local businesses ahead of other things.

These neighbourhoods would function for a time as temporary urban incubators of new enterprises, and after a period of re-establishment those enterprises that prove to be viable would transition into ongoing commercial leases, and the city would work with them to ensure that the necessary permits and licenses were put in place. 

Buildings could then be upgraded in a more substantial manner, backed by business banking loans and potentially government stimulus programs.

There is a pandora's box of complexity to be unpacked with an initiative like this. But recent events have shown that if there is a need and a will, there is a way. A crisis can provide clarity and promote creative ways in challenging old problems.

If we want to trial the idea of establishing this type of lean and nimble approach to supporting the recovery and growth of enterprise in Australia, then we need to start working out the details right now. 
</body></html>

Post covid-19: we need to bend the rules and create ‘new deals’ for small businesses

<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.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“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.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

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.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

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.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

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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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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