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This weekend the REIV is expecting around 650 auctions.
The highest volume of auctions is expected to be found in Richmond with 14 auctions scheduled.
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The REIV says if a clearance rate above 70% is recorded again this weekend, <a href="https://reiv.com.au/News_Publications/News%20Archive.aspx?newsID=%7B9062007B-38EF-4DBE-B38A-176640757305%7D&amp;title=Auction%20preview%20for%20week%20ending%2018%20August#melbRE" target="_blank">this year’s winter market would be on track to have the highest clearance rate since 2009</a>.
The average winter clearance rate was 57% in <img src="/images/stories/2013/08/2012-aug-16.jpg" width="100" height="39" alt="2012-aug-16">.
55% in <img src="/images/stories/2013/08/2011-aug-16.jpg" width="100" height="40" alt="2011-aug-16">,
and 68% in <img src="/images/stories/2013/08/2010-aug-16.jpg" width="100" height="40" alt="2010-aug-16">.
The winter clearance rate in <img src="/images/stories/2013/08/2009-aug-16.jpg" width="100" height="37" alt="2009-aug-16"> was 85% but with nearly 20% less auctions than this year.
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Melbourne auctions set for best winter auction result in four years: REIV

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AMP’s Shane Oliver says Australian house prices have turned up at a time when they are still overvalued but there is no sign of a new property bubble.
The average annual capital city house price growth is now around 5%, having initially failed to respond to rate cuts, according to Shane Oliver.
"This is coming at a time when house prices in the <country-region>UK</country-region> and the <country-region><place>US</place></country-region> have also started to head up. The only difference is that prices in these countries are turning up from much lower levels, whereas Australian house prices are turning up from a high level," Oliver says.
"Fears of a renewed bubble have also been heightened by a surge in <city><place>Sydney</place></city>’s auction clearance rate above the 80% level, well above its normal cyclical high of around 70%."
He says although Australian house prices have cooled, they are still overvalued with real house prices still above their long term trend by around 7%.
And he says the ratio of house prices to incomes in <country-region><place>Australia</place></country-region> is now 21% above its long term average. 
But he says apart from overvaluation and hot <city><place>Sydney</place></city> auctions there is little evidence of a housing bubble at present.
"This is not to say that it won’t turn into a house price bubble but at this stage the property market is a long way from that. And with the pick up relying on improved affordability with house price to income ratios remaining high it wouldn't take much in the way of price increases for the improvement in affordability to be undermined. Rising unemployment may also act as a dampener on house price appreciation," he says.
"The cyclical upswing in house prices likely has further to run with gains likely to be around 5% to 10% over the year ahead. However, the overvaluation of Australian housing will likely see real house prices stuck in a 10% range around the broadly flat trend that has been evident nationally since 2010.
"This is consistent with the 10-20 year pattern of alternating long term bull and bear phases seen in real Australian house prices since the 1920s. See the third chart in this note.
"The long term bull phase of Australian house prices that started in the mid 1990s likely gave way to a long term bear phase commencing in 2010 that in the absence of an unexpected economic collapse is likely to be characterised by a flat trend in real house prices until the excesses of the 1996 to 2010 period are worked off."
{module Do you agree with Shane Oliver that the Australian residential property market is a long way from turning into a house price bubble? }
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Do you agree with Shane Oliver that the Australian residential property market is a long way from turning into a house price bubble?  

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An industrial holding at Wentworth Point currently owned by the NSW Government has been advertised for a rezoning proposal.
It's outcome could be a vibrant new residential community with 2,300 homes and new public access along 1.2km of the Sydney Harbour foreshore.
The Department of Planning and Infrastructure issued plans last month to revitalise the 18.6 ha of government land at Wentworth Point over the next two decades.
The key elements of the plan include:
· a new 3.9 ha peninsula park along with three new pocket parks
· foreshore cycling and walking paths at least 20m wide – opening up this area to public access for the first time
· an 18-classroom school with playing fields by 2017
· upgrades to nearby Hill and Bennelong Rds to accommodate the increased population
· A range of low, mid and high-rise residential buildings
· new maritime uses adjacent to Homebush Bay for rowing/kayaking facility, dry boat storage and supporting retail and businesses
Community comments are due by August 16.
 
<iframe width="470" height="272" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S-7CnBrfAV4?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Wentworth Point NSW Government industrial holding set for rezoning

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Over 100 industry leaders will speak at the upcoming Australia's Online Retailer Conference &amp; Expo.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.onlineretailer.com/about/">Australia's Online Retailer Conference &amp; Expo</a>, to be held at Sydney Convention &amp; Exhibition Centre in Sydney starting August 19, is marketed as the industry's premier showcase for the latest in eCommerce technology, digital marketing and e-retailing solutions.
Property Observer has compiled a list of many of the retail industry leaders along with their Twitter handles for readers who are interested in the retail outlook :
Bernard Luthi – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/BernardLuthi">@BernardLuthi</a>
Erin Lubelsky - <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/elubes">@elubes</a>
Jay Basnight – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JayBasnight">@JayBasnight</a>
Ross Kramer – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/ross_kramer">@Ross_Kramer</a>
Lauren Freedman – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/etailinggroup">@etailinggroup</a>
Adrian Salamunovic – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/king_of_canvas">@king_of_canvas</a>
Jim Okamura – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/jimokamura">@jimokamura</a>
Rob Sieracki – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RobertClicks">@RobertClicks</a>
Rob Schmults – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/schmults">@schmults</a>
Tom Allason – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/tomall">@Tomall</a>
Mark Capps – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/ausmark">@ausmark</a>
Matt Newell – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/mattnewell_live">@mattnewell_live</a>
Chaminda Ranasinghe – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/cranasin">@cranasin</a>
Steven Noble – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/steven_noble">@steven_noble</a>
Grant Arnott – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/grantarnott">@grantarnott</a>
Jethro Marks – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/jethrom">@jethrom</a>
Mark Bouris – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/markbouris">@markbouris</a>
Daniel Jarosch – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/danomyte">@danomyte</a>
Justus Wilde – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JustusWilde">@JustusWilde</a>
Stephen Foxworthy – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stephfox">@stephfox</a>
Adriane McDermott – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/brandcrafter">@brandcrafter</a>
Brock Douglas –<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/brock_douglas"> @brock_douglas</a>
Rod Jacka – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/rodjacka">@rodjacka</a>
Sarah Mitchell – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/globalcopywrite">@globalcopywrite</a>
Troy Townsend – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Troytownsend1">@troytownsend1</a>
John Winning – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/WinningJohn">@WinningJohn</a>
Nathan Huppatz – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/huppy">@huppy</a>
Jason Mun – <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/jasonmun">@jasonmun</a>
 
For more more information and opening times, visit: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.onlineretailer.com/en/Expo/about-the-expo/">https://www.onlineretailer.com/en/Expo/about-the-expo/</a>
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The 26 retail experts set to tell Australian landlords about the ever changing retail landscape

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Last week the RBA dropped interest rates to a new record low of 2.5%
Finder.com.au have tweeted their summation of the <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/rba-rate-cut-winners-and-losers" target="_blank">RBA August 2013 rate cut winners and losers</a><a href="https://www.finder.com.au/rba-rate-cut-winners-and-losers" target="_blank">.</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/finderau" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2013/08/tweet-of-the-day-aug-14.jpg" width="470" height="68" alt="tweet-of-the-day-aug-14"></a>
Among finder.com.au's winners are homeowners on a variable home loan and Australian exporters benefiting from the falling Aussie dollar.
On the flip side are pensioners and importers who stand to be negatively affected, according to finder.com.au.
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The winners and losers from the RBA interest rate cut

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There was a recent Fairfax Media article, headlined "New kid set to knock Altona off the block?"
It suggested a yet to be completed Vaucluse house had emerged, set to knock Altona off its perch as Sydney's most expensive house.
Buyers from China had flown in to inspect the home, attracted by its extensive harbour views and the fact it is newly constructed.
The reputed asking  price was put at $60 million.
<a target="_blank" href="https://smh.domain.com.au/real-estate-news/new-kid-set-to-knock-altona-off-the-block-20130809-2rmll">The property</a>, reported to have cost more than $20 million to build, has been listed by Andrew Ipkendanz, who bought two adjoining lots in 1997 for just over $10.6 million. (Not the $6 million in the SMH article.)
Soon after Fairfax Media's report came <a target="_blank" href="https://www.news.com.au/realestate/news/australia8217s-priciest-pad-at-60m/story-fncq3gat-1226695756394">the News Ltd article </a> suggesting the hotel-sized three level house had already attracted a knocked-back $50 million offer.
The reputed reported $60 million asking price would exceed the recent sale of the Point Piper mansion Altona and the long standing $45 million record for Vaucluse.
Altona's official sale price remains under wraps, due to a loophole in land transfer reporting rules, but has been estimated at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/altona-reigns-in-title-tattle-s-top-20-house-sales-in-the-2012-2013-financial-year/2013062862795">$52.5 million by Property Observer </a>- and at $54 million by the Fairfax Media, either way a likely Sydney record and a national residential record topped only by the sale of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/the-swan-river-mosman-park-home-cinema-in-australia-s-priciest-sold-residential-compound/2012072655718">Perth compond property for $57.5 million in 2009</a>.
Doubt still exist surrounding <a target="_blank" href="/news">Villa Venuto's sale</a>, but Property Observer has suggested it was $52 million or so.
So all up, and wishing the vendor the best price obtainable, Property Observer is doubtful that the Carrara Road, Vaucluse offering actually threatens any record.
{module Do you think the Vaucluse listing will challenge the Australian price record?}
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Will Altona's Sydney price record fall with the latest Vaucluse waterfront reserve offering?

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Before making a decision to refinance, you need to thoroughly and comprehensively compare your current financial position with your position if you refinance.
Each application for a new credit product (be it a mortgage, personal loan or credit card) affects your credit rating, so you should reasonably expect you will take up the offer.
Make sure your existing mortgage is in a healthy state.
The more missed payments you have had in the last six months, the more wary lenders will be about refinancing your mortgage.
Compile a list of credit cards, persona loans and debts you have. These could all affect your capacity to borrow.
Even credit cards that have been paid off can reduce your loan amount, as the lender may consider the credit limit in its calculations.
Lenders dislike lending to people who have even small credit problems such as default on a credit card.
It is worthwhile obtaining a copy of your personal credit file to see if there are any issues that need to be resolved.
It will provide information about payment defaults or overdue accounts. You can obtain a free copy from Veda Advantage.
Ensure that all taxes and bills (utilities, mobile phones, etc.) have been paid.
If you are self-employed, tax returns and business accounts need to be up to date.
Lenders will have different documentation requirements but generally will require copies of your last two tax returns, evidence of any other income/allowances, statements of your existing bank accounts for the past six months and your accountant’s details.
Ascertain the value of your property and how much equity you have built up in it. If you find yourself owing more than the value of your property (negative equity) this will affect your capacity to refinance because lenders are reluctant to refinance a loan at 95% plus loan to value ratios (LVR).
In addition, your current lender might require you to inject capital into your loan to get the LVR ratio back to anacceptable level, which could force you to sell your home.
Once you have gathered all this information, a good place to start the process of refinancing is to sit down with a mortgage broker to discover if switching would be to your benefit in the medium to long term.
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Get your affairs in order to make the process as smooth as possible

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After chilling through the winter months it's hard not to think about the long, hot days of summer ahead.
MSN Real Estate recently tweeted to their 5,011 followers on  "<a target="_blank" href="https://realestate.msn.com/40-tricked-out-patios?ocid=vt_twmsnre">40 tricked out patios</a>".
Space and budget limitations aside, these patios will give you plenty of ideas for your outside space. 
<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MSNRealEstate"><img height="63" width="451" src="/images/stories/2013/08/Tweet_of_the_Day/Screen_Shot_2013-08-01_at_4.40.24_PM.png" alt="Screen_Shot_2013-08-01_at_4.40.24_PM"></a>
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Patio design ideas for when you're dreaming of summer

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As competition remains high for mortgage business, many lenders including some of the major banks are prepared to offer finance with just a 5% deposit.
A 95% loan-to-value ratio loan is primarily aimed at first-home buyers who have not been able to save up a bigger deposit but who want to get onto the property market sooner.
However eligibility for a high LVR loan is quite strict, writes McGrath Real Estate Agents chief executive John McGrath on Switzer.com.au.
Here’s the seven key things he suggests you consider beforehand:
<img height="38" width="30" src="/images/stories/2013/07/NUMBERS/numberonejuly11.jpg" alt="numberonejuly11">
McGrath says that banks will require that you can “at a minimum” demonstrate a strong repayment history and will want to know what the purpose of the loan is. If it’s to purchase an investment property, they may only lend 90% of the value. 
<img height="35" width="30" src="/images/stories/2013/07/NUMBERS/numbertwojuly11.jpg" alt="numbertwojuly11"> You need to calculate if you will be able to make more in capital gains (and possibly rental returns if it’s an investment property) by purchasing sooner and paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) than you would by waiting until you have saved up a 20% deposit. You must also factor in how much prices may rise in this time it takes to save a bigger deposit.
<img height="39" width="30" src="/images/stories/2013/07/NUMBERS/numberthreejuly11.jpg" alt="numberthreejuly11"> Keep in mind that LMI will be much less if you are buying a $300,000 property versus a $600,000 even if you have only a 5% deposit in both scenarios. “Generally speaking, LMI is charged as a percentage of the purchase price,” says McGrath.
<img height="39" width="30" src="/images/stories/2013/07/NUMBERS/numberfourjuly11.jpg" alt="numberfourjuly11"> Also keep in mind that LMI is not transferable so if you refinance with a new lender and don’t have a 20% equity position, you may have to pay it again. 
<img height="33" width="30" src="/images/stories/2013/07/NUMBERS/numberfivejuly11.jpg" alt="numberfivejuly11"> Another risk, he says is that it may take longer to build up equity in your property or even be in a no equity position, which can make it harder to refinance or buy a second property. 
<img height="35" width="30" src="/images/stories/2013/07/NUMBERS/numbersixjuly11.jpg" alt="numbersixjuly11"> Quoting advice from lan Hemmings, who heads up McGrath’s Oxygen Home Loans division, he says buyers should shop around if they are looking for a high LVR loan because the difference between lenders on LMI can be several thousands of dollars. 
<img height="36" width="30" src="/images/stories/2013/07/NUMBERS/numbersevenjuly11.jpg" alt="numbersevenjuly11"> Lastly he suggests speaking to a mortgage broker who can help with all these questions and will know which lender charges the least LMI on a 95% loan. 
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The seven things to keep in mind when considering a 95% LVR: John McGrath

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The Real Estate Institute of Queensland have rebranded and are obviously proud to launch their new website.
The <a target="_blank" href="https://reiq.com/">new website</a> puts a strong focus on finding property listings with their property search box taking front and centre.
There are then links to Queensland estate agents, property courses, market information and property guides.
<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/TheREIQ"><img alt="tweet-of-the-day-aug-12" height="160" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/08/tweet-of-the-day-aug-12.jpg"></a>
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The REIQ launches new website

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.

Joel Robinson

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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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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374010]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374002]

“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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150999]

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