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Auction volumes are slowly beginning to increase after a subdued couple of months over the end-of-year holiday season. Last week, there were 403 auctions held across the capital cities, and the clearance rate was recorded at 55.9%. Over the same week last year, there were 371 auctions in the capital cities with a clearance rate of 41.8%.
Melbourne recorded a clearance rate of 62.8% last week, with 122 auctions held across the city. Last year there were 121 auctions, and the clearance rate was 42.5%. A clearance rate of 74.4% was recorded for Sydney, where 82 auctions took place over the week. At the same time last year, Sydney recorded a clearance rate of 62.5% when 69 auctions were held across the capital city.
Over the coming week, there are 665 auctions scheduled. It is expected that within the next month, auction volumes will resume some normality.
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Auction volumes slowly on the rise after holiday break: RP Data

<html><body>Australian Property Monitors (APM) has released a list of results from just 27 auctions in Sydney for the weekend of February 2. The clearance rate was 73.3%. <a href="https://www.homepriceguide.com.au/saturday_auction_results/Sydney.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 Sydney auction results from just 27 auctions

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Popular chef and owner of Melbourne’s iconic Vue De Monde restaurant Shannon Bennett has listed his <a href="/news">Kensington </a>property with price hopes of $1.5 million to $1.65 million.
Located on Bruce Street, Kensington, the four-bedroom home is shared with his wife, Madeleine West.
It's a chef’s dream.
Bennett is the ambassador for German brand Miele and has decked out his kitchen in the best appliances on offer.
Also included is a barbecue kitchen with a pizza oven.
The property boasts Jack Merlo-designed gardens, a Japanese pond and a self-cleaning lap pool.
There's a Joost Bakker herb wall plus a vegetable garden on the roof of the double garage.
The property has been listed by Lou Rendina of Rendina Real Estate for a March 2 auction.
Title Tattle recalls the former Sydney Swan Dale Lewis, the former Essendon ruckman Simon Madden and Kangaroo teammates Leigh Colbert and Anthony Stevens were among those who’d inspected the property before it was last auctioned in mid-2004.

But the then contemporary house failed to attract a single bid after more than 300 inquiries. 

It sold to Bennett for $820,000 a few months later.

The Nicholas Murray-designed residence had been listed through Hocking Stuart, which was quoting between $800,000 and $850,000 on its 2004 listing.</body></html>

Chef extraordinaire Shannon Bennett lists home for $1.5 million plus

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There are 1,001 auctions planned for this week across Australia, according to RP Data, with 418 of them in Queensland and 180 in Victoria. 
The high number of Queensland auctions is due to a number of mega auction events being held by Ray White and other Queensland agencies.
Ray White Surfers Paradise is undertaking its 20th annual summer auction, dubbed The Event – which is now spread over three days, January 27, 30 and 31.
As one of Australia’s largest auctions, The Event will bring more than 100 residential, prestige, industrial and commercial properties as well as land sites and even boats go to auction.
Other auctions are being conmducted by the Professionals Surfers Paradise and LJ Hooker Labrador.
 
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Queensland still Australia's auction central this week as Ray White continues its main Event

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As Australian operators prepare for the year ahead, IBISWorld unveils its annual list of the top five industries set to soar in 2013, and the five expected to sink.
 
<h2>Industries to fly</h2>
1. Oil and gas production
Forecast to grow by 15.9% to reach $44.4 billion in 2013, the oil and gas production industry has been highlighted by IBISWorld as this year’s top industry performer, with growth driven by higher output and substantially higher global prices.
Australia’s liquefied natural gas production and exports are expected to increase significantly over the coming year. This reflects a switch in favour of gas for electricity generation, which will be driven by more volatile demand and carbon pricing on oil, and an expected increase of 8.4% in US dollar crude oil prices.
With abundant reserves in Queensland and New South Wales, LNG output is rapidly growing and is expected to reach 6.8 billion cubic metres in 2013. Most of this production is expected to come from Queensland, where coal seam methane is already used in electricity generation, and where a number of export-oriented LNG plants are currently under construction.
Strong growth in export demand for LNG is expected to increase world prices by 15.7% over the next year.
2. Organic farming
Organic farming has grown at a compound annual rate of 10% since 2008, and is expected to continue to rise as consumers factor in the health benefits and environmental impact of their food choices. IBISWorld forecasts an increase of 12.5% across the industry over the coming year, boosting revenue to $617 million.
Consumers are becoming increasingly eco and health conscious. This means they are more willing to pay a premium price to prevent environmental degradation caused by conventional farming methods and to ensure the products they consume are free from added chemicals and hormones. Major retailers, such as Coles and Woolworths, continue to respond to this trend, increasing the convenience in which these foods are purchased.
Income growth – forecast to rise 3.4% over the coming year – will be a key factor driving demand for organic products. As Australian incomes rise, we are seeing consumers move away from conventionally farmed produce towards natural, chemical- and hormone-free counterparts.
3. Online education
IBISWorld anticipates revenue for Australia’s online education industry to increase by 10.5% in 2013, to reach just under $5.6 billion. Growth has been supported by the continued uptake of high-speed internet services, growing acceptance of online education, government support for students and efforts to expand access beyond the typical school-leaver demographic.
We are seeing an increase in demand for convenient education, particularly among working adults who wish to gain new skills and qualifications, but are too time poor to attend classes full-time or in person. The NSW Department of Education is also assisting industry growth, with technologies expanding at a rapid rate to deliver education to remote parts of Australia.
4. Online shopping
Forecast to grow by 9.1% to reach almost $11.8 billion in 2013, the online shopping industry has continued to flourish as consumers demand more of their goods and services via the online realm.
Australians are increasingly expecting traditional retailers to have an active investment in the online sphere, and to provide options for online browsing and shopping to complement their storefronts.
Over the coming year, IBISWorld expects online retailers to move into the bricks-and-mortar space, providing convenient pick-up and return locations for consumers. This phenomenon will lead to a greater increase in the convenience provided by online retail.
5. Multi-unit apartment and townhouse construction
Strong population growth in the late 2000s has fuelled underlying demand for housing, in particularly for the multi-unit apartment and townhouse construction industry, which is forecast to grow 9% over the coming year to reach $16.6 billion.
IBISWorld is seeing an urban shift towards medium to high density residential developments as occupants opt to remain close to the CBD, transport and commercial hubs.
Property investors – primarily funded from Asia – kick-started new apartment projects in 2010 and 2011. This, coupled with several interest rate cuts since November 2011 and the flow through of government assistance to both homebuyers and investors, is projected to have a buoyant effect on the industry.
<hr>
<h2>Industries to fall</h2>
1. Gaming and vending machines manufacturing
The gaming and vending machines manufacturing industry is set to follow suit in the overall decline of manufacturing in Australia, with revenue expected to fall by 6.4% in 2013.
The replacement cycle for gaming machines in Australia has increased from 12 years in 2005 to 35 years since 2008. This, along with legislative limits on the number of poker machines, has restricted demand for new machines.
With high labour costs and the Australian dollar remaining strong, production is increasingly moving offshore, with hardware going to Asia and software to the US.
2. Wired telecommunications carriers
Intense competition in the mobile space continues to have a negative effect on wired telecommunications carriers. The industry is expected to fall by 5.5% in 2013, bringing total revenue down to $9.7 billion, from its peak of $21.5 billion in 2002.
Competition in the mobile sphere is driving prices down to the extent that it is now cheaper for some consumers to disconnect their landlines and rely solely on mobile services. Increased wireless broadband penetration and strong growth in the number of naked DSL internet subscribers are also eating into industry revenue.
Prices for the industry’s services continue to be cut in attempts to retain clientele. Consumer confidence with email and SMS has grown significantly over the past five years, causing customers to move away from the traditional home phone. Branding and cross-selling are becoming increasingly vital to the industry, with product bundling being a popular strategy to reduce customer turnover rates.
3. Mineral exploration
Revenue for mineral exploration is expected to fall to $3.7 billion over the coming year, a decline of 5.1% from 2012 – driven by falling investment (forecast to decrease by 6.5%) in the sector as firms shift their focus to production.
The combination of generally lower commodity prices, weak global growth, slowing demand from China and economic uncertainty is expected to result in reduced spending on mineral exploration over 2013.
4. Newspaper printing or publishing
As advertisers and consumers opt for other types of media, the newspaper printing or publishing industry continues to lose advertising market share – with revenue forecast to decrease by 4% in 2013. Printed newspapers’ share of advertising – which accounts for 75% of newspaper revenue – is expected to fall to under 30% of total advertising revenue in 2013, down from a 41.8% share in 2000.
Declining circulation over the past five years, caused by time restraints, the rising popularity of new media like the internet, pay TV, and mobile devices, and competition from consumer magazines has continued to adversely affect the industry. In the coming years, environmental concerns are also expected to affect demand for printed newspapers.
5. Recorded media manufacturing and publishing
Recorded media manufacturing and publishing, including CDs and records, has declined steadily over the past five years. IBISWorld expects this trend to continue – forecasting a decline of 2.8% in 2013.
Physical format music sales have dropped by an estimated compound annual rate of 15.9% since 2007, compared with a compound annual rise of 32.6% for digital music.
Consumers have turned away from purchasing physical media in favour of paid online subscription services, such as Spotify and Pandora, and limited free services such as YouTube and VEVO. The industry also has been dramatically exposed to high levels of music and video piracy.
Online distribution of media has allowed companies to cut bottom line costs, and has resulted in a variety of new products on the market for consumers to view new media.
Licensing and publishing services have provided some reprieve for industry participants as the use of music, sound effects and video in advertising and marketing has increased, particularly with the rise of social media.
<table style="width: 470px;" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Industries to fly
</td>
<td>
Revenue 2012
($million)
</td>
<td>
Revenue 2013
($million)
</td>
<td>
Growth
(%)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="300">
Oil and Gas Production
</td>
<td width="104">
38,314.1
</td>
<td width="113">
44,422.9
</td>
<td width="104">
15.9
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="300">
Organic Farming
</td>
<td width="104">
548.8
</td>
<td width="113">
617.1
</td>
<td width="104">
12.5
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="300">
Online Education
</td>
<td width="104">
5,048.5
</td>
<td width="113">
5,577.6
</td>
<td width="104">
10.5
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="300">
Online Shopping
</td>
<td width="104">
10,790.2
</td>
<td width="113">
11,771.7
</td>
<td width="104">
9.1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="300">
Multi-Unit Apartment and Townhouse Construction
</td>
<td width="104">
15,225.0
</td>
<td width="113">
16,600.0
</td>
<td width="104">
9.0
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table style="width: 470px;" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Industries to fall
</td>
<td>
Revenue 2012
($million)
</td>
<td>
Revenue 2013
($million)
</td>
<td>
Decline
(%)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="298">
Gaming and Vending Machines Manufacturing
</td>
<td width="108">
434.5
</td>
<td width="108">
406.5
</td>
<td width="107">
-6.4
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="298">
Wired Telecommunications Carriers
</td>
<td width="108">
10,215.5
</td>
<td width="108">
9,655.0
</td>
<td width="107">
-5.5
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="298">
Mineral Exploration
</td>
<td width="108">
3,936.4
</td>
<td width="108">
3,736.7
</td>
<td width="107">
-5.1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="298">
Newspaper Printing or Publishing
</td>
<td width="108">
6,673.9
</td>
<td width="108">
6,407.0
</td>
<td width="107">
-4.0
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom" width="298">
Recorded Media Manufacturing and Publishing
</td>
<td width="108">
888.9
</td>
<td width="108">
863.9
</td>
<td width="107">
-2.8
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
For more information on these, or any of Australia’s 500 industries, log on to <a href="https://www.ibisworld.com.au/" rel="nofollow">www.ibisworld.com.au</a>, or follow<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/IBISWorldAU"> IBISWorldAU</a> on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/index.php">SmartCompany</a>.
<h1 class="contentheading2"></h1>
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Multi-unit construction set to fly in 2013: IBISWorld

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If you're going to start a new business, you might as well dream big. And launch it in an exotic, beachside location.
That didn't quite happen immediately for entrepreneur Zoe Watson, but her big thinking approach has developed in the two years since she opened her <a target="_blank" href="https://www.blisssanctuaryforwomen.com/about-3/">Bliss Sanctuary for Women</a> in Bali in 2010.
Currently, she's in Hong Kong, where she's based the travel business in an effort to expand it across the globe. With the next stop Spain, her plan is to establish 20 sanctuaries in 12 countries over the next 10 years.
The Balinese sanctuary includes use of villas within Canggu, Bali, and future sanctuaries are set to include similar leisure accommodation.
It's a fairly ambitious mission for a woman with a fear of flying, who originally left the corporate world for Bali in order to rekindle her health and allow her body to recover from a nasty car accident. But it's a mission she believes is possible in a market that's saturated with retreat-style vacations for women, but very few resorts that focus on the "travel experience" instead.
Watson knows this because before dreaming up the idea, she long tried to find such solo-travelling holiday experiences herself, while in desperate need of some time out from the corporate world.
"At the time, I said to my boss, 'I need a month off or you need to get someone to help me'. He said, 'You can't do either or those; you can take next week'," Watson recalls. She took what she could get and travelled to Bali – an option she thought wasn't ideal at the time, but relatively simple, inexpensive and appeared to offer the safe, solo-travelling experience she was after.
It was better than expected: upon returning to Adelaide, she quit her advertising job to take a year-long break living in Bali where she could recover – something she knew could be funded with the compensation money she'd received from the car accident. The enforced rest didn't last a month.
Watson came up with the Bliss Sanctuary business plan within two weeks. Four weeks later she was flying to Bali to source a villa to rent, which she found within three days. The goal was to create a sanctuary for women travelling alone or with a friend who are looking to take a simple, carefree break. Women who wanted to take the "thinking" out of a holiday, and allow somebody else to sort out accommodation, meals, transport and even the day-to-day experiences (the Bali sanctuary offers packages covering cultural experiences, surfing and yoga).
"We've had ladies who get there and say 'I can't decide what to eat – you decide!'" says Watson.
Bali quickly provided a successful test case on how the business could work globally – with sanctuary spaces filling 50% in the first month of operation and up to 90% just a couple of months later. Now in its second year, it has seven local staff and a Canadian hostess, allowing Watson to work on opening new locations. As she extends the business across the world, she plans to work on site for a few months as each new location opens, then hand the space over to a Western hostess under a franchising arrangement.
Not bad for a business idea Watson attributes to simply taking a break. "I'm pretty gung-ho, having worked in media and the rat race in Australia, my whole lifestyle has completely changed now. If it wasn't for the forced rest on my part I don't think things would have played out the way they have," she says.
And unlike other rat race escapees seeking a seachange, Watson never hated her job. In fact, she recently recounted to the Adelaide Advertiser how she's always had fun, sought-after roles – even one in which she drove around a yellow Mustang convertible as a company car. She's now working harder than ever, but believes that having now found her purpose, the health effects of long hours are minimal.
As for the fear of flying, it hasn't quite disappeared but Watson's dealing with it. "I do find that the things we have the most fear of in life are often the things we need to overcome."
This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.womensagenda.com.au/" target="_blank">Women's Agenda.</a>
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How an entrepreneur's holiday turned into a women's tourism accommodation business

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Big homes, not necessarily McMansions, are easier to sell than their smaller counterparts as people look to future-proof their investments.
With families having more possessions than ever before, four-bedroom homes allow for a spare room to be used in many ways.
Three-bedroom, one-bathroom homes are becoming rarer and take longer to sell than a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home.
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Tip of the week: Enlightening property investment gems

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There are few auctions scheduled for this week as the auction market gets off to a slow start for 2013. 
Just 96 auctions are scheduled across all capital cities from January 14 to January 20. Australia's auction capital, Melbourne, has just 37 auctions scheduled for this week, including some in Portsea.
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Auctions off to a slow start in 2013: RP Data

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As the summer holidays linger or fade, Property Observer has found a handful of holiday shacks for sale. And one as cheap as $75,000, if you want in Tasmania, or from $275,000 on the mainland.

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Their basic, no-frills design have possibly helped influenced architects such as Glen Murcutt and Drew Heath seek their quintessential utilitarian design.

Even after the result of years of sea spray, one does come close to a $1 million asking price.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5559]

Just looking at them ought to bring back memories of jumping off sand dunes and baking hot car trips, being traumatised by older siblings and falling off bikes.

So take trip down memory lane – or in one case up the Murray River – just don’t forget your wallet.

$500,000 plus
<a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/8-diggers-crescent-great-mackerel-beach/Property-Details-buy-residential-2201871" target="_blank">8 Diggers Crescent, Great Mackerel Beach</a>, NSW

<img alt="8diggers" height="353" src="/images/stories/2012/12/8diggers.jpg" width="470">

Located not far from the western foreshores of Pittwater directly opposite Palm Beach, this one's an almost idyllic hideaway. The house was originally built in the 1950s and has had very little change since then expect for its bathroom being updated in the 1960s. As the agent Kathyrn Hall suggests - think back to days of no television, a more simplistic life, simple pleasures of a relaxed holiday atmosphere where you swam at the beach, board games and card games at night. The house itself is a very simple fibro cottage, light and airy, all on one level. And in very original condition, but in good order.

 

<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 

$250,000

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-nt-dundee+beach-200375791" target="_blank">3732 Launceston Road Dundee Beach</a>, Northern Territory

<img alt="dundee" height="353" src="/images/stories/2012/12/dundee.jpg" width="470">

A quarter of a million dollars will buy you this remote shack build from two storage containers on a 10 hectares of arid bushland about  three hours' drive south-west of Darwin and a short drive from the Timor Sea. It’s listed for sale through Margaret Fanning of Elders Real Estate and described as an “ideal spot for a quiet weekend or a fishing shack". The shack is subdivided into two containers with a breezeway in the centre for enjoying a cold beer and presumably, fish caught on the beach or in the nearby Launceston inlet. One of the containers is air-conditioned and is used for sleeping and the other is used for storage.

 

<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 

$299,000 plus

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-walker+flat-112039323" target="_blank">Swan Reach Road, Greenways Landing, SA</a>

<img alt="greenways" height="353" src="/images/stories/2012/12/greenways.jpg" width="470">

Hey, they don't make them like this anymore! This is one of eight shacks set close to one of the only boat ramp for miles on this portion of the Murray River. The freehold river front shack has plenty of room for boats, parking for cars, bikes and tents. Its got two bedrooms, water tank, pump shed, paved river front patio with fire pit, shaded lawns, sunset vistas with tame kookaburras and pelicans. Just a short boat ride to the legendary Swan Reach Hotel. Comes on a walk-in-walk-out basis with Torrens title, water licence and development plans (STCC).

 

<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 $640,000 - $690,000

<a href="https://www.fletchers.net.au/3106069/247-The-Esplanade-Indented-Head" target="_blank">247 The Esplanade Esplanade, Indented Head</a>, Vic

<img alt="indented" height="264" src="/images/stories/2012/12/indented.jpg" width="470">

This fibro beach house is just metres from the beach and bay. Its been for sale with no price adjustment since listed in May 2012 through Fletchers. Hopefully the toes don't get wet on the front decking when the king tide comes in. It is bring your own tree.

 

<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 

$275,000

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-falcon-112488079" target="_blank">12 Maranel Street, Falcon</a>, WA

<img alt="maranel" height="353" src="/images/stories/2012/12/maranel.jpg" width="470">

Cute might be stretching it, but at just 350 metres to the beach, this two-bedroom cottage is well located. It's apparently on a quiet street on a lovely treed 885-square-metre block. Michael Goodwin at Harcourts Mandurah had the listing, selling it just a few days ago in early 2013. It had been for sale since October 2012, having last traded at $300,000 in early 2010.

 

<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 

$185,000

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-qld-burrum+heads-200360715" target="_blank">40 Orchid Drive Burrum Heads</a>, Queensland

<img alt="orchiddr" height="353" src="/images/stories/2012/12/orchiddr.jpg" width="470">

Though this “lovers'” beach shack may have all the charm of a prison cell, it is just a short stumble the “very private” Sirenia Beach and will appeal to those holidaymakers who love the idea of a morning or evening beach walk searching for sea shells and other “treasures”. There’s also the opportunity to fish on the beach, the saltwater lake or in Burrum River. The property itself is a fully furnished three-bay colorbond shed (all indoor and outdoor furniture included in the sale price) and includes a shower, toilet and kitchenette.

 

<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 

$75,000

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-cramps+bay-112305039" target="_blank">78 Cramps Bay Road Cramps Bay</a>, Tasmania

<img alt="cramps" height="353" src="/images/stories/2012/12/cramps.jpg" width="470">

Affordable fishing cabins in Tasmania's Central Highlands have a naive romantic charm. This one's many great features include direct lake views and a boat ramp/lake access located within a lure throw. The 38-square-metre cabin is heated by a little Red Embers freestanding wood heater. The property is listed on a walk-in-walk-out basis, including all furniture, white goods, cookware, generator and presumably the firewood. Paul Kaine at Roberts Real Estate Longford has the 2,518-square-metre listing. 

 

<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 

$970,000

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-arrawarra+headland-107302421" target="_blank">14 Second Avenue, Arrawarra Headland</a>, NSW

<img alt="secondave" height="353" src="/images/stories/2012/12/secondave.jpg" width="470">

Not many people paint their houses pink these days, it’s a shame. With its holiday décor, a granny flat out the back and various hidden treasures, this home has almost certainly been the site of many a teenage holiday romance. The four-bedroom property sits on a generous 750 square metres, and it’s literally metres from the beach. It’s a seven-hour drive north of Sydney, probably a two day affair back in the day. It’s being sold by Mark Killian from Nicole Cardow Real Estate Woolgoolga and Matt Dougherty at LJ Hooker Grafton.

 

<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 

$289,000 - $299,000

<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-aldinga+beach-112618315" target="_blank">12 Maurice Street, Aldinga Beach</a>, SA

<img alt="maurice" height="353" src="/images/stories/2012/12/maurice.jpg" width="470">

This one's called Wacko Shacko – set in the scrublands just a few minutes walk from the access ramp to Aldinga Beach, under one hour from Adelaide. Wacko Shacko has three bedrooms, open plan living areas, and a well-equipped kitchen. The property is offered furnished – through Deb Tucker at Raine &amp; Horne McLaren Vale. It last sold for $235,000 in 2004. It's a holiday rental too, <a href="https://www.rent-a-home.com.au/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=41685#requestAQuote" target="_blank">currently renting at between $80 and $140 a night</a>.

 

 
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Nostalgic fibro holiday home shacks from $75,000 plus

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Are you ready to undertake a renovation, buy or sell in 2013? Are you looking for property inspiration? Here are some books to take with you to the beach or read on your balcony as summer evenings linger. 
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/trends/summer-reading-from-property-investment-tips-to-managing-tenants/2012122358620">And don't miss part one of our summer reads list. </a>
<a href="https://au.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118319273" target="_blank"><img src="/images/stories/2013/01/janessbook1.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;" width="100"></a>
Jane Slack-Smith reminds property investors <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/why-you-need-to-do-your-demograpahic-research-before-writing-that-buyer-s-cheque-jane-slack-smith/2012073055771">that they need to do their demographic research </a>before writing that buyer's cheque in her book <a href="https://yourpropertysuccess.com.au/">Your Property Success with Renovation</a> published by John Wiley &amp; Sons.
 
 
 
 
 
<img style="margin: 5px; float: left;" src="/images/stories/2012/12/buildingalways.jpg" alt="buildingalways" height="146" width="100"> 
 
Gerry Karidis <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/why-developers-are-not-the-devil-in-property-disputes-gerry-karidis/2013011058604?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=developments" target="_blank">defends the property development profession</a> in his book <a href="https://www.wakefieldpress.com.au/product.php?productid=979" target="_blank">Building Always Building: The Life and Times of Gerry Karidis</a>
 
 
 
 
<img src="/images/stories/2013/01/journeysbook.jpg" style="margin: 5px; float: left;"> 
 
 Property investor Swarnie Condon talks <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/our-first-resort-investment-was-not-all-smooth-sailing/2011062450600" target="_blank">about her first resort investment</a>, which was not all smooth sailing, in the book <a target="_blank" title="Journeys Along the Property Path" href="https://www.ipip.com.au">Journeys Along the Property Path: 12 real life stories of 12 property investors</a>, published by Inspirational People in Property. The book is aligned with Club Cares and is donating $10 from the sale of every book, hoping to sell 8,000 books and donate $80,000. So far $4,610 has been raised.
 
<img style="margin: 5px; float: left;" src="/images/stories/2013/01/lomasbook.jpg">
 
 
Margaret Lomas advises<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/property-investment-is-not-a-get-rich-quick-scheme-margaret-lomas/2011083051342"> investors look at property as a long game</a>, rather than a get-rich-quick scheme, in her book <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertybooks.com.au/investing_in_the_right_property_now!_by_margaret_lomas">Investing in the Right Property Now</a>
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From renovation to investment: Summer reading

<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.

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“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.

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[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.

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Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

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

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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