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Sydney held a preliminary auction clearance rate at 75.1% for the week ending September 13, according to CoreLogic RP Data's Property Market Indicator Summary, which found it the tenth week in a row with a rate below 80%.
The inner south west region had a preliminary clearance rate of 68.6% from 142 total auctions. and the northern beaches 84.4% from 63 auctions. 
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Sydney's preliminary auction clearance rate at 75.1%: CoreLogic RP Data

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The unit market in Townsville remains flat according to Herron Todd White, who see marked fluctuations over the past five years driven by the clear out of distressed developer stock and number of new unit releases.
Herron Todd White's September Month in Review said construction costs has forced developers to reduce the size and scope of their product to meet a price point. 
"Another factor to impact the unit market over the past years has been the impact of escalating body corporate fees," the report noted.
"Our current assessment of the unit market is that it remains relatively flat overall at a combined total of around 50 to 60 new and established unit sales per month. 
"Our unit survey as at the June quarter indicates a supply of 84 new developer units available for purchase. Current supply consists of three new units available in the CBD and 81 in suburban developments (within developments of 20 or more units)."
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Townsville's unit market remains flat: Herron Todd White

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The demand for inner city living in and around Hobart has driven the residential unit development market, with some trophy units going for more than $2 million over the past year, according to Herron Todd White.
Herron Todd White's September Month in Review noted the sale of a 210 square metre penthouse in South Hobart's apartment in Battery Point for $2.1 million.
The most notable unit or apartment sale in Launceston was the penthouse apartment in The Charles which sold for $2.25 million.
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Hobart trophy unit sales topping $2 million: Herron Todd White

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GEUST OBSERVER
The scale of Chinese investment in the Australian residential property market continues to polarise public opinion. Chinese buyers are often blamed for driving up house prices in Australia and causing the current affordability crisis.
However, Chinese offshore purchases are surprisingly low. Based on Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval figures, ABS data, and our own data on actual Chinese investment in commercial real estate, we estimate Chinese residential real estate investment totals around 2% of all residential real estate transactions in Australia. We define “Chinese investors” in legal terms as those who require FIRB approval for their residential property purchases.
This figure is obtained by dividing estimated Chinese investment volume in residential real estate by the total volume of residential real estate transactions. For the financial year 2013-14, based on FIRB statistics, we estimate residential property investment by Chinese investors was A$5.8 billion. This is consistent with KPMG/University of Sydney (USYD) data on actual Chinese investment in Australia.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the total sales value of residential property in Australia for the same period was A$258 billion.
Residential vs commercial
We estimate residential property investment made by Chinese investors is A$5.8 billion for the financial year 2013-14. This figure is an estimate because FIRB data for each country only list the total value of approved real estate investment without differentiating between commercial and residential real estate.
The split between commercial and residential real estate is only available for the overall investment approved for all foreign countries. For 2013-14, the ratio between commercial and residential real estate was 53 to 47. Applying this ratio to the total approved volume of Chinese real estate investment of A$12.4 billion, we obtain an estimate of A$5.8 billion for residential investment and A$6.6 billion for commercial real estate investment.
It is important to keep in mind that FIRB approval figures are generally higher than actual investment figures. For commercial real estate investment the KPMG/USYD database shows that actual investment volume was A$4.4 billion in the 2014 calendar year, which is lower than the FIRB approval figures.
Total sales value of residential property
For the financial year 2013-14, the ABS recorded 482,720 property transfers. The average price of residential properties in Australia increased by 6.3% from A$516,300 in the September 2013 quarter to 548,900 in the June 2014 quarter. Using ABS quarterly Residential Property Price Indexes data, we obtain a total sales value of residential property in Australia of A$258 billion.
The scale of Chinese investment
Based on FIRB data, overall foreign investment accounts for 13.4% percent of total residential real estate investment, while Chinese residential investment in the Australian real estate market lies near the 2% mark.
These estimates are aligned with the NAB Quarterly Australian Residential Property Surveys. These show demand by all foreign buyers fluctuating between 12.5% and 10.2% for new properties and 8% and 7.2% for established properties for FY 2013-14.
With declining economic growth and an increasingly weakening Australian dollar, the issue of foreign investment in the Australian residential real estate market will not subside in the foreseeable future.
Before suggesting Chinese investors are a major factor behind declining affordability, commentators should at least consider the data.
Information on Chinese investment in Australian real estate relies on data sets which are compiled for different purposes and produce a variety of different and sometimes incompatible results. The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics in its 2014 Report on Foreign Investment in Residential Real Estate highlights the discrepancy between official FIRB and ABS data and concludes that detailed information on Chinese investment in Australia’s residential property markets is not available.
But based on the data we do have, Chinese investment in Australian residential real estate accounts for just 2% of the total real estate sales volume. Chinese applicants for residential real estate investment approval account for one sixth or 16% of potential foreign real estate investors. This suggests the housing and housing affordability crisis will not be solved by a clamp-down on one group of buyers.
Hans Hendrischke is professor of Chinese Business and Management at University of Sydney and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hans-hendrischke-115034" target="_blank">here</a>.
Wei Li is lecturer, Business School at University of Sydney and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wei-li-12212" target="_blank">here</a>.
Both are authors for The Conversation.
 
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Chinese investment in residential real estate just 2%

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CoreLogic RP Data has reported a combined capital city preliminary auction clearance rate of 72.1% for the week ending 13 September from a total of 2,615 auctions.
The weekend market indicator summary from CoreLogic RP Data found clearance rates are down from this time last year when a 72.3% clearance rate was recorded from 2,080 auctions. 
 
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Combined capital city preliminary auction clearance rate of 72.1%: CoreLogic RP Data

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New South Wales auction results for week ending Sunday 13 September show a preliminary clearance rate of 75% from 1046 scheduled auctions.
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<div class="num">According to data from realestate.com.au, 452 were sold at auction within NSW, 149 passed in and 141 sold prior to auction.</div>
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<div class="num">One standout property in the Sydney suburb of Ashfield - a two level four bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-ashfield-120439509" target="_blank">45 Ormond Street which sold for $1,730,000</a>.</div>
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Preliminary NSW auction clearance rate of 75%: Realestate.com.au 

<html><body>Australian Property Monitors (APM) has released a list of auction results in Sydney for the Saturday September 12. <a href="https://www.homepriceguide.com.au/saturday_auction_results/Sydney.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Click here</a> for the auction results, and click on each street address to see the property's marketing.</body></html>

APM's Sydney auction results for September 12

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Construction in Darwin suburbs remains unabated with incentives to first home buyers and the Real Housing for Growth investment program driving investment, according to Herron Todd White's September Month in Review.
Herron Todd White noted the high construction level of new units the CBD and suburbs Palmerston, Nightcliff, Millner, Coconut Grove and Berrimah have a mix of medium density, large complexes with ground level and two storey semi detached dwellings.
"The big shift in the unit market has been seen in the rental market. For the year to June 2015 in the inner Darwin sector,one bedroom units have reduced 9.5%, two bedroom units have reduced 12.5% and three bedroom units have reduced 16.5%," the report highlighted.
"This has certainly been a welcome relief to all tenants in the market, swinging the pendulum back to the tenant after a number of years in the landlord’s corner."
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Incentives driving Darwin property investment: Herron Todd White

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The Perth rental market has fallen considerably with the level of rental listings increasing and average weekly rental values down, according to Herron todd White's September Month in Review.
Herron Todd White noted suburbs such as Balga, Westminster and Nollamara had multiple dwelling (end unit) values fall by around 10% to 15% when compared to the same period last year. 
Rivervale, Cloverdale and Belmont have also been saturated with small walk up type developments and the oversupply issue exacerbated by apartments in the Springs Precinct.
 
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Perth multiple dwelling values fall 10% to 15%: Herron Todd White

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The top most clicked house on realestateview.com.au for the week is a rare double fronted Victorian home with heritage façade.
The property, <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/19-withers-street-albert-park/Property-Details-buy-residential-9435552" target="_blank">19 Withers Street, Albert Park</a> is for sale 26 September through Marshall White Albert Park.
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The second most popular home, <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/9-lauren-close-gol-gol/Property-Details-buy-residential-9403976" target="_blank">9 Lauren Close Gol Gol</a> sold for between $315,000 and $355,000. The three bedroom family home sold through Barry Plant Real Estate - Mildura.
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The third most popular listing on realestateview.com.au for the week is also in Gol Gol - <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/151-adelaide-street-gol-gol/Property-Details-buy-residential-9443836" target="_blank">151 Adelaide Street</a>. The three bedroom with spacious backyard is on the market for between $195,000 and $225,000 through Barry Plant Real Estate - Mildura.
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The fourth most clicked house on realestateview.com.au for the week is described as a 'ripper' investment on approximately 720m2 with rear lane access. The property, <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/19-tiltao-street-dareton/Property-Details-buy-residential-9457308" target="_blank">19 Tiltao Street Dareton</a>, NSW, is for sale through Collie &amp; Tierney First National with price expectations from between $80,000 to $105,000.
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The fifth most clicked property for sale through realestateview.com.au is also in Gol Gol, however is an entire unit block. Apartment <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/units-1-4-24-adelaide-street-gol-gol/Property-Details-buy-residential-9447138" target="_blank">1-4/24 Adelaide Street</a> consists of 4 x 2 storey Villas each offering 2BR’s upstairs, open plan living downstairs and is on the market for between $550,000 and $580,000 through Roccisano Real Estate.
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Top five most clicked properties on the market: Realestateview.com.au

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.

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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.

Joel Robinson

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

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

A collection of just 25 large-format apartments and penthouses overlooking Goodwin Park is entering the Coolangatta market, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marea-residences-coolangatta-27-27a-dixon-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Maréa Residences</a> combining a low-density, residential-only approach with uninterrupted park and Pacific Ocean outlooks.

Located at 27 Dixon Street, Maréa comprises three and four-bedroom residences alongside a limited number of dual-level penthouses, with the project positioned between Goodwin Park and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/coolangatta-qld-4225">Coolangatta</a>’s coastal precinct.

Construction has commenced, with completion currently estimated for late 2027. Three-bedroom residences are priced from $1.8 million.

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The project has been designed around its northern outlook across the park, with the building’s architecture, landscaping and material palette intended to establish a connection with the neighbouring green space. The residences have been configured to maximise natural light and views across Goodwin Park towards the ocean.

Inside, the material palette incorporates timber, stone and brushed brass, complemented by curved detailing and ambient lighting. Kitchens and bathrooms carry the same natural material approach, while residences also include basement parking, storage and lift access.

Maréa’s penthouses are arranged over two levels and include private pools, adding another layer to the project’s focus on larger-format apartment living. Across the development, residences are configured with three or four bedrooms rather than the broader mix of smaller apartment types commonly found in larger projects.

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Resident amenity is concentrated at rooftop level, where landscaped entertaining terraces and pools take advantage of elevated views across Coolangatta and the Pacific Ocean.

The project has so far been particularly well received by local owner-occupiers and downsizers, according to Urban Activation Property Sales and Marketing Director Matt George, with the residential-only format, construction quality and northern park outlook among the features resonating with purchasers.

“The uninterrupted northern aspect overlooking Goodwin Park has been a key point of difference, with buyers attracted to the sense of serenity and open space the park provides, while still enjoying easy access to the ocean and being within walking distance of the lifestyle and amenities Coolangatta has to offer,” George said.

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“The combination of high-quality construction, a residential-only building, park outlook and proximity to the beach has resonated strongly with the local downsizer market.”

The Dixon Street address is within walking distance of Coolangatta Beach and the broader southern Gold Coast coastline, including the surf breaks at Snapper Rocks and Kirra. Coolangatta’s cafés, restaurants and retail are nearby, while Gold Coast Airport is also within close proximity.

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Maréa Residences brings parkside apartments to Coolangatta

Melbourne developer PDG has secured Victorian Government approval for its $1.5 billion Southbank development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-one-1-queens-bridge-street-southbank-vic-3006">The One</a>, clearing the way for the long-dormant riverfront site opposite Crown to finally be developed.

The Minister for Planning has approved the project at 1-29 Queens Bridge Street, with the Department of Transport and Planning issuing the planning permit following its assessment.

The approval will allow PDG to develop the prominent 5,059 sqm site with a major mixed-use tower comprising premium apartments, including branded residences, a luxury hotel and boutique office space.

PDG acquired the site in late 2024, with its position directly opposite Crown's main entrance and near Melbourne's Arts Precinct making it one of Southbank's most significant remaining development opportunities.

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Designed by COX in collaboration with ODO and PDG, the tower's architecture draws on the movement of the Yarra River, with six vertical pleats running the height of the sculpted facade.

The project will also see the heritage-listed Queens Bridge Hotel restored and incorporated into the development&nbsp;with new hospitality and public uses, including a rooftop venue.

A significant component of The One will be its residential amenity.

More than 5,000 sqm of resident facilities will be delivered across a single level, making it one of the largest consolidated residential amenity offerings proposed in an Australian apartment development.

The planning approval also incorporates a major upgrade of Queensbridge Square, which PDG will deliver in partnership with the City of Melbourne.

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The existing square will be revitalised as a new civic and pedestrian space along the Yarra River, strengthening the connection between the project, Southbank and the riverfront.

PDG Founder and Managing Director Vince Giuliano said the approval represented a major milestone for a site which has remained largely underutilised for more than 15 years.

“This is the most significant Planning Permit approval Melbourne has seen in recent years,” Giuliano said.

“For more than 15 years, this site has remained underutilised. This approval enables us to deliver a project that will contribute meaningfully to the revitalisation of Southbank, restore and reactivate an important heritage building, and create a new civic and hospitality destination for Melbourne.”

The latest approval follows an earlier planning permit issued by the City of Melbourne covering demolition works across part of the site at 9-29 Queens Bridge Street. Those demolition and early works are already underway.

PDG has also started generating early interest in the residential component from owner-occupiers ahead of a planned public launch in early 2027.

PDG secures approval for $1.5bn Southbank apartment development, The One

Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

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Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

Michael Crawford

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