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The property industry will get a true indication as to the state of the market later this month when over 60 companies exhibiting at the Home Buyer &amp; Property Investor Show meet over 3,000 eager buyers face-to-face.
Please note, Property Observer readers are eligible for a free ticket when <a href="https://www.homebuyershow.com.au/special-offers/propertyobserver-ticket-offer/" target="_blank">registering here</a>. The promotional code to obtain the free ticket is: OBSERVER
With property the most affordable it has been in years and the Reserve Bank holding interest rates this month, organisers of the largest property education event in the country expect a record turnout at the Perth Convention &amp; Exhibition Centre Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 March.
With so many different messages being conveyed throughout the media regarding the property market, many buyers often experience information overload and don’t know where to start.
The event aims to cut through all the chatter by providing a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with the most experienced, successful and trusted property experts in the country.
Now organised by Informa Exhibitions, this major event is expecting a record turnout. Managing director Harvey Stockbridge says the show will feature an impressive line-up of speakers.
"Our team has worked hard to put together one of the most impressive speaker line-ups seen in Perth for many years including Effie Zahos, Chris Gray, Damian Collins, Andrew Morello and Margaret Lomas to name a few."
Leading property commentator Chris Gray agrees with this sentiment and is presenting a free seminar titled 'Buying or investing in property? Do it yourself or outsource to the experts?' each day at the show.
"At the moment the market volatility is providing some great opportunities to pick up a bargain and there hasn’t been a better time to buy for many years," Mr Gray says.
"But how can you decide what’s really best for you? Buyers can get emotionally involved when buying property, so to ensure they make the right choice for a smart investment, I always recommend getting professional advice – and for Perth buyers the Home Buyer &amp; Property Investor Show is the best resource for that."
Other seminar topics include:
<ul>
<li>How to find the next property ‘hot spots’</li>
<li>Essential tips to buy your 1st home/investment property</li>
<li>How to invest in property using your superannuation</li>
<li>Easy ways to cut your home loan interest bill</li>
<li>Effective property investing in 2013 and beyond 
</li>
</ul>
The event also presents a major exhibition with over 60 leading companies exhibiting, so visitors will be able to see, compare and buy all the latest homes, apartments, house &amp; land packages, home loans, agents, tax and insurance agents.
Representatives will also be on hand from government and independent association groups such as the Real Estate Institute of West Australia and Property Investment Professionals of Australia and the West Australian Department of Housing.
Event details
Venue: Perth Convention &amp; Exhibition Centre, 21 Mounts Bay Road, Perth
Dates: Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 March: 10am to 5pm 
Tickets: $18 when purchased at the door or book in advance online via the website to avoid the queues and save $5 per ticket ($13 online tickets).
Please note, Property Observer readers are eligible for a free ticket when <a target="_blank" href="https://www.homebuyershow.com.au/special-offers/propertyobserver-ticket-offer/">registering here</a>. The promotional code to obtain the free ticket is: OBSERVER
For full event details visit the website at: <a href="https://www.homebuyershow.com.au/" target="_blank">www.homebuyershow.com.au</a>
<a href="https://www.homebuyershow.com.au/"></a>Enquiries call 1300 889 655.
Tickets include free to the Trading &amp; Investing Seminars &amp; Expo running concurrently on Friday and Saturday – for details visit the website at: <a href="https://www.tradingandinvestingexpo.com.au/" target="_blank">www.tradingandinvestingexpo.com.au</a>
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Home Buyer Show to test barometer for state of the WA property market

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The amount of time Sydney dwellings are spending on the market has shortened considerably, according to the latest information from RP Data.
Figures for the week ending March 3 showed Sydney houses and units were spending an average of 66 days and 49 days on the market respectively.
However, figures for the week ending March 10 showed Sydney houses were spending an average of 50 days on the market, and Sydney units an average of 38 days.
<img style="font-size: 0.8em;" alt="timeonmarketmarch12" height="361" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/timeonmarketmarch12.gif">
'Time on market' (TOM) is the average number of days between when a property is first listed for sale and the contract date.
The statistics are calculated across results received by RP Data over the past week and include properties transacted over the past four weeks. The data is based on private treaty sales only and records without a valid sale price have been excluded from the vendor discount analysis.
The analysis also excludes results where there are less than 10 observations.
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Sydney houses and units selling faster: RP Data

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Properties at both ends of the price spectrum can be forced to spend long periods of time on the market, as demonstrated by the latest data on Perth properties by SQM Research.
The 10 properties that have spent the longest time on the market have each been listed for more than 1,000 days.
The list includes both houses and units (such as N1302/70 Canning Beach Road, Applecross, pictured below), and asking prices ranging from as little as $159,000 to $3,000,000.
<img alt="perthmarch7one" height="353" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/perthmarch7one.jpg">
While some vendors have slashed their asking prices by as much as 36%, others have held firm and one has even increased the asking price.
1
<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=f192f0430a&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank">119 Rookwood Street, Mount Lawley, 6050</a> 
<div></div>
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<div>
Days on the market: 1424</div>
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Initial asking price: $1,450,000 Current asking price: $1,290,000 Reduction: 11%</div>
 
2
<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=5fcd76e10f&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank">65 Hutton Street, Stirling, 6021</a>
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Days on the market: 1424</div>
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Initial asking price: $3,000,000 Current asking price: $3,000,000 Reduction: 0%</div>
 
3
<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=39d6956080&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank">N1302/70 Canning Beach Road, Applecross, 6153</a>
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Days on the market: 1424</div>
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Initial asking price: $2,500,000 Current asking price: $2,500,000 Reduction: 0%</div>
 
4
<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=8f843526c0&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank">39k Harvest Road, North Fremantle, 6159</a>
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Days on the market: 1424</div>
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Initial asking price: $1,300,000 Current asking price: $1,060,000 Reduction: 18%</div>
 
5
<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=87c1a936c6&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank">363 Riverton Drive, Shelley, 6148</a>
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Days on the market: 1294</div>
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Initial asking price: $2,450,000 Current asking price: $1,990,000 Reduction: 19%</div>
 
6
<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=180f4449db&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank">Apartment 4/6 Cray Street, Lancelin, 6044</a>
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Days on the market: 1259</div>
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Initial asking price: $225,000 Current asking price: $159,000 Reduction: 29%</div>
 
7
<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=a584bebd50&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank">24/32 Fielder Street	East Perth	6004</a>
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Days on the market: 1238</div>
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Initial asking price: $995,000 Current asking price: $850,000 Reduction: 15%</div>
 
8
<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=ebd4d16551&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank">29/65 Little John Road	Armadale	6112</a>
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Days on the market: 1224</div>
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Initial asking price: $299,000 Current asking price: $309,000 Reduction: -3%</div>
 
9
<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=54617748f5&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank">13/20 Enderby Close	North Coogee	6163</a>
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Days on the market: 1196</div>
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Initial asking price: $1,235,000 Current asking price: $987,000 Reduction: 20%</div>
 
10
<a href="https://sqmresearch.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=9badbd870addb4af72206c2eb&amp;id=7d2525d528&amp;e=0aab96dc54" target="_blank">15 Gretel St	Two Rocks	6037</a>
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Days on the market: 1155</div>
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Initial asking price: $1,100,000 Current asking price: $699,000 Reduction: 36%</div>
 
SQM Research also offers a list of the <a title="SQM Research" href="https://www.sqmresearch.com.au/top100bargains.php" target="_blank">Top 100 Biggest Bargains in Australia </a>for sale.
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Perth's longest-listed properties: SQM

<html><body>Australian Property Monitors (APM) has released a list of results from 327 auctions in Sydney for the weekend of March 9. The clearance rate was 73%. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.homepriceguide.com.au/saturday_auction_results/Sydney.pdf"> Click here</a> for the auction results, and click on each street address to see the property's marketing.</body></html>

APM's 327 Sydney auction results show 73% clearance rate

<html><body>Australian Property Monitors (APM) has released a list of results from 116 auctions in Melbourne for the weekend of  March 9. <a style="font-size: 14px;" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.homepriceguide.com.au/saturday_auction_results/Melbourne.pdf" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the auction results, and click on each street address to see the property's marketing.</body></html>

APM's Melbourne auction results for March 9 weekend

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Brisbane's median unit price decreased 4% to $389,000 over the December 2012 quarter but posted a mild 0.3% increase over the year, according to the latest figures from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ).
REIQ CEO Anton Kardash said a marked rise in the number of sales of units priced between $250,000 and $350,000 had reduced the overall median price.
“Inner Brisbane suburbs continue to do well with median prices in New Farm and South Brisbane all posting solid price growth,” Kardash said.
“Brisbane’s middle-ring suburbs have also recorded some good results with Mount Gravatt East edging up 6.6% over the quarter and Morningside recording growth of 9.9%.”
The REIQ’s December Queensland Market Monitor (QMM), released last Friday, showed the number of unit and townhouse sales in Brisbane was up 16% when compared to the December 2011 quarter.
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Brisbane unit prices dropped 4% in December quarter: REIQ

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<img height="111" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/hobarthouseprice.gif" alt="hobarthouseprice">
The median price of houses in Hobart, based on settled sales for the quarter ending February 28, according to <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.myrp.com.au/" style="font-size: 14px;">RP Data.</a> The median price of houses across Australia's eight capital cities was $485,000 for the quarter.
<img height="112" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/adelaidehouseprice.gif" alt="adelaidehouseprice">
The median price of houses in Adelaide, based on settled sales for the quarter ending February 28, according to <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.myrp.com.au/" style="font-size: 14px;">RP Data.</a> The median price of houses across Australia's eight capital cities was $485,000 for the quarter.
<img height="101" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/brisbanehouseprice.gif" alt="brisbanehouseprice">
The median price of houses in Brisbane, based on settled sales for the quarter ending February 28, according to <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.myrp.com.au/" style="font-size: 14px;">RP Data.</a> The median price of houses across Australia's eight capital cities was $485,000 for the quarter.
<img height="103" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/perthhouseprice.gif" alt="perthhouseprice">
The median price of houses in Perth, based on settled sales for the quarter ending February 28, according to <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.myrp.com.au/" style="font-size: 14px;">RP Data.</a> The median price of houses across Australia's eight capital cities was $485,000 for the quarter.
<img height="102" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/melbournehouseprice.gif" alt="melbournehouseprice">
The median price of houses in Melbourne, based on settled sales for the quarter ending February 28, according to <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.myrp.com.au/" style="font-size: 14px;">RP Data.</a> The median price of houses across Australia's eight capital cities was $485,000 for the quarter.
<img height="107" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/canberrahouseprice.gif" alt="canberrahouseprice">
The median price of houses in Canberra, based on settled sales for the quarter ending February 28, according to <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.myrp.com.au/" style="font-size: 14px;">RP Data.</a> The median price of houses across Australia's eight capital cities was $485,000 for the quarter.
<img height="97" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/darwinhouseprice.gif" alt="darwinhouseprice">
The median price of houses in Darwin, based on settled sales for the quarter ending February 28, according to <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.myrp.com.au/" style="font-size: 14px;">RP Data.</a> The median price of houses across Australia's eight capital cities was $485,000 for the quarter.
<img height="93" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/03/sydneyhouseprice.gif" alt="sydneyhouseprice">
The median price of houses in Sydney, based on settled sales for the quarter ending February 28, according to <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.myrp.com.au/" style="font-size: 14px;">RP Data.</a> The median price of houses across Australia's eight capital cities was $485,000 for the quarter. Sydney's house median has been at $600,000 or above for the past three quarters.
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Sydney house median sits at $600,000: RP Data capital city analysis

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There is a debate among those who study cities as to whether success depends on cities fruitfully competing, or co-operating. The answer is that the most successful do both.
Much commentary, however, focuses on competition, often stoked by rankings – how well is my city doing in the latest list? This may be important to mayors, but does it matter to the businesses responsible for creating and developing a city’s economy?
This reminds me of the unfounded furore a little over a decade ago, when it was announced that the European Central Bank was to be located in Frankfurt. There was much speculation about whether Frankfurt would overtake London as Europe’s leading financial centre, and the media was full of stories anticipating London’s imminent decline. But were the two cities really in competition with each other?
For financial workers in the two cities, the question seemed ludicrous. Typically, their firms had offices in Frankfurt and London, and used them for different types of business. They were complementary centres, and most emphatically not rivals.
It was this example that convinced me that cities are inherently cooperative; they connect through city networks where success depends on mutuality. Competition between cities is a contingent occurrence, depending on specific circumstances.
Competition is often related to national boundaries that define a market where there is a limited demand for key business services. Small state economies can usually only support a single major city: for example, Portugal and Lisbon, Ireland and Dublin and Austria and Vienna.
In larger countries, the demise of second stock exchanges commonly leads to a competitive advantage for one city over another. Instances of this include Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Sydney and Melbourne, and Toronto and Montreal.
But while cities may be competing at a national level, internationally they appear to be getting closer. In fact, one analysis identifies the United States plus London as a single central region of economic globalisation, coining the compound name “USAL”.
It is true that London is not only more connected to New York through its business service firms than it is to other major British cities, it is also closer to Chicago and San Francisco.
But while London’s tendency to cleave to USAL – rather than to other parts of the UK – sums up the difficulties facing those who want to harness all British cities to boost future UK economic growth, it also suggests that leading cities may have less to fear from their so-called competitors than some might imagine.
Professor Peter Taylor, founder of the Globalization and World Cities Research Network at Loughborough University and now Professor of Human Geography at Northumbria University. His latest book, Extraordinary Cities: Millennia of Moral Syndromes, World-Systems and City/State Relations, was published in early 2013.
<a href="https://www.knightfrank.com/wealthreport" target="_blank">Republished as part of the issuance of the 2013 Knight Frank Wealth Report</a>. 
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Do global city rankings matter? Professor Peter Taylor looks at the facts

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Less than half the number of auctions from each of the previous two weeks will be held in Australian capital cities this coming week, according to RP Data.
There are a number of public holidays across Australia next Monday so it is expected that auction volumes will be subdued.
While there were a comparable amount of auctions in capital cities in each of the past two weeks - 1,984 last week and 2,004 held the week prior - this week only 961 auctions are scheduled.
Sydney (517 scheduled auctions) will hold more than double the number of auctions planned for Melbourne (221 scheduled auctions).
Across Australia’s largest auction market, Melbourne, there were 986 auctions held last week and the clearance rate was recorded at 66.9 per cent, down from 69.5 per cent the week prior.
Last week, Sydney’s auction clearance rate stayed relatively steady at 64.2 per cent, compared to 63.4 per cent over the previous week. There were 751 auctions held in Sydney last week, up from 618 the week prior.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2013/03/rpdataauctionsmarch6.gif"><img src="/images/stories/2013/03/rpdataauctionsmarch6thumb.gif"></a>
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Public holidays to subdue auctions following strong fortnight: RP Data

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<h3 id="mr-title">Statement by Glenn Stevens, governor: Monetary Policy Decision</h3>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2013/mr-13-04">At its meeting today</a>, the Board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 3.0 per cent.
Global growth is forecast to be a little below average for a time, but the downside risks appear to have lessened over recent months. The United States is experiencing a moderate expansion and financial strains in Europe are considerably reduced compared with the situation through much of last year. Growth in China has stabilised at a fairly robust pace. Around Asia generally, growth was dampened by the earlier slowing in China and the weakness in Europe, but again there are signs of stabilisation. Commodity prices are little changed recently, at reasonably high levels.
Sentiment in financial markets is much improved compared with the middle of last year. Risk spreads have narrowed and funding conditions for financial institutions are more favourable. Long-term interest rates faced by highly rated sovereigns, including Australia, remain at exceptionally low levels. Borrowing conditions for large corporations are very attractive. Share prices have risen substantially from their low points. However, the task of putting private and public finances on sustainable paths in several major countries is far from complete. Accordingly, as seen most recently in Europe, financial markets remain vulnerable to occasional setbacks.
In Australia, most indicators available for this meeting suggest that growth was close to trend over 2012, led by very large increases in capital spending in the resources sector, while some other sectors experienced weaker conditions. Looking ahead, the peak in resource investment is approaching. As it does, there will be more scope for some other areas of demand to strengthen.
Present indications are that moderate growth in private consumption spending is occurring, though a return to the very strong growth of some years ago is unlikely. The near-term outlook for non-residential building investment, and investment generally outside the resources sector, is relatively subdued, though recent data suggest some prospect of a modest increase during next financial year. Dwelling investment appears to be slowly increasing, with higher dwelling prices and rental yields. Exports of natural resources have been strengthening, though recent bad weather is affecting some shipments at present. Public spending, in contrast, is forecast to be constrained.
Inflation is consistent with the medium-term target, with both headline CPI and underlying measures at around 2¼ per cent on the latest reading. Looking ahead, with the labour market softening somewhat and unemployment edging higher, conditions are working to contain pressure on labour costs, as was confirmed in the most recent data. Moreover, businesses are focusing on lifting efficiency under conditions of moderate demand growth. These trends should help to keep inflation low, even as the effects on prices of the earlier exchange rate appreciation wane. The Bank's assessment remains that inflation will be consistent with the target over the next one to two years.
During 2012, there was a significant easing in monetary policy. Though the full impact of this will still take more time to become apparent, there are signs that the easier conditions are having some of the expected effects. On the other hand, the exchange rate remains higher than might have been expected, given the observed decline in export prices, and the demand for credit is low, as some households and firms continue to seek lower debt levels.
The Board's view is that with inflation likely to be consistent with the target, and with growth likely to be a little below trend over the coming year, an accommodative stance of monetary policy is appropriate. The inflation outlook, as assessed at present, would afford scope to ease policy further, should that be necessary to support demand. At today's meeting, taking into account the flow of recent information and noting that there had been a substantial easing of policy as a result of previous decisions, the Board judged that it was prudent to leave the cash rate unchanged. The Board will continue to assess the outlook and adjust policy as needed to foster sustainable growth in demand and inflation outcomes consistent with the target over time.
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Unchanged cash rate after higher dwelling prices RBA governor's statement

<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.

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[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.

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[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.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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